‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism

This study explores the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media journalism. We apply a labour process approach to examine why German newspaper editors adopt AI publishing and how it influences journalistic work. Automated publishing services (APSs) are used in newsrooms to sel...

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Main Authors: Petra Petruccio, Tai Neilson, Christian Stöcker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Journalism and Media
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/6/1/30
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author Petra Petruccio
Tai Neilson
Christian Stöcker
author_facet Petra Petruccio
Tai Neilson
Christian Stöcker
author_sort Petra Petruccio
collection DOAJ
description This study explores the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media journalism. We apply a labour process approach to examine why German newspaper editors adopt AI publishing and how it influences journalistic work. Automated publishing services (APSs) are used in newsrooms to select, edit, and publish content on social media platforms. In-depth interviews with German news editors revealed that the reasons for implementing APSs include economic dependence on platforms, the centralisation of news roles, and the intensification of work. Furthermore, resistance to fully automated social media publishing in some newsrooms has resulted in semi- or hybrid-automated approaches. Resistance is primarily expressed through concerns over the loss of editorial control, content diversity, and the quality of user engagement.
format Article
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publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-d795f88e939c46d188d674cf4b247cfd2025-08-20T03:43:27ZengMDPI AGJournalism and Media2673-51722025-02-01613010.3390/journalmedia6010030‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media JournalismPetra Petruccio0Tai Neilson1Christian Stöcker2Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, GermanySchool of Communications and Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, AustraliaDepartment of Information and Communication, Faculty of Design, Media and Information, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), 22081 Hamburg, GermanyThis study explores the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media journalism. We apply a labour process approach to examine why German newspaper editors adopt AI publishing and how it influences journalistic work. Automated publishing services (APSs) are used in newsrooms to select, edit, and publish content on social media platforms. In-depth interviews with German news editors revealed that the reasons for implementing APSs include economic dependence on platforms, the centralisation of news roles, and the intensification of work. Furthermore, resistance to fully automated social media publishing in some newsrooms has resulted in semi- or hybrid-automated approaches. Resistance is primarily expressed through concerns over the loss of editorial control, content diversity, and the quality of user engagement.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/6/1/30journalismartificial intelligencesocial mediaautomated publishing serviceslabour process theorynews organisations
spellingShingle Petra Petruccio
Tai Neilson
Christian Stöcker
‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism
Journalism and Media
journalism
artificial intelligence
social media
automated publishing services
labour process theory
news organisations
title ‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism
title_full ‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism
title_fullStr ‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism
title_full_unstemmed ‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism
title_short ‘A Part of Our Work Disappeared’: AI Automated Publishing in Social Media Journalism
title_sort a part of our work disappeared ai automated publishing in social media journalism
topic journalism
artificial intelligence
social media
automated publishing services
labour process theory
news organisations
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/6/1/30
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AT taineilson apartofourworkdisappearedaiautomatedpublishinginsocialmediajournalism
AT christianstocker apartofourworkdisappearedaiautomatedpublishinginsocialmediajournalism