Exploring Leadership amid Technological Shifts - A Study of AI in Norwegian Newsrooms

Abstract

This study explores how leaders influence AI adoption in the Norwegian news media industry. It aims to provide a snapshot of the current degree of AI integration in journalistic practices. Given the study's pioneering nature, we adopted a hybrid research design that combines elements of sequential exploratory and convergent parallel approaches. We conducted 11 interviews, including two unstructured interviews for exploratory purposes and nine semi-structured interviews that resulted in a thematic analysis. Additionally, in partnership with Mediebedriftenes Landsforening (MBL), we collected quantitative data through a questionnaire. Our findings show that there is widespread optimism about AI's potential to transform journalistic practices. Larger newsrooms have made significant advancements in AI integration, while smaller newsrooms generally lag behind. However, it is the smaller newsrooms that could benefit the most from AI-driven efficiency, often relying on enthusiastic individuals to drive innovation despite having fewer resources. While there is no statistically significant correlation between leadership characteristics and AI adoption, the quantitative analysis showed that leaders' attitudes toward AI significantly influence its adoption. This effect diminishes when other variables are considered, suggesting that leadership's influence is indirect, mediated through organizational readiness and AI measures. AI measures and firm size are the two most statistically significant predictors of AI adoption, highlighting the complex interplay between resources, readiness, and leadership in the effective integration of AI in journalism. Despite limitations such as sample size and biases, our study offers practical recommendations for news organizations and enhances the understanding of AI adoption and leadership in journalism. We emphasize the importance of establishing ethical guidelines, providing continuous training, and fostering supportive leadership. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of AI on journalism, investigate various AI applications, and conduct comparative studies across countries to gain a global perspective on AI adoption in the media industry.