Andres Veglis & Theodora A. Maniou offer a high-level survey of the evolution of chatbots, their uses in news, and associated issues.
Chatbots simulate a conversation where one end of the exchange is an algorithm. They may be defeated when set replies aren’t a match for free-flowing questions. Another challenge is having algorithms retain meaning across many words in a narrative.
AUTHORS
- Andres Veglis, Media Informatics Lab, School of Journalism & MC, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Theodora Maniou, Department of Social & Political Sciences, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
ABSTRACT
‘With the advent of Web 2.0, new forms of journalism arose, paving the way for the implementation of computational and automatization processes in all aspects of mass communication. As such, chatbots have already been adapted in the news media platforms bringing forward a series of issues and effects upon journalistic narrative, content and professional practices. This paper presents the role of chatbots and their characteristics, discusses the application of different types of chatbots in the news media and presents a theoretical overview of the advantages and disadvantages regarding their adaptation in journalism, as well as key ethical concerns connected to the emergence of this new journalistic narrative.’
SEE FULL PAPER Repository [Free]
Veglis, A & Maniou, T.A. (2019) ‘Chatbots on the Rise: A New Narrative in Journalism,’ Studies in Media and Communication Vol. 7, No. 1
doi:10.11114/smc.v7i1.3986