‘We face a tsunami’: Rosental Alves on AI’s impact

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping journalism faster than any previous technological shift and demands urgent adaptation from media professionals, warned Rosental Alves at the 10th Innovation, Technology and Journalism conference in Buenos Aires.
Alves, a veteran journalist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, described the rise of AI as “an inevitable tsunami that is redefining journalism”. The pace of change, he said, is without precedent.
“ChatGPT reached one million users in just five days,” he told the audience, “while Facebook took ten months and Netflix took three years. The important thing now is to become familiar with these tools and prepare.”
He warned that AI brings both “incredible efficiencies” and serious dangers. While it can streamline newsroom operations and content production, it also threatens to deepen what he called an “epistemological shock” – a growing crisis in verifying what is true. That crisis began with social media, Alves said, but could be “exacerbated by AI to become a much more powerful threat to democracy and to legitimate media”.
The emergence of so-called “agent AI” – autonomous systems that gather and present information without editorial oversight – poses a new challenge to journalism’s relationship with its audience. Alves quoted New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien, who said journalistic content should not be treated as “just data floating around”, but respected as intellectual property.
Despite these threats, Alves was clear about journalism’s enduring role. “We can’t imagine a world without journalists – without human beings doing the most beautiful job in the world,” he said. But he issued a stark warning to those slow to act: “It’s adapt or die.”

Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
8

Notes:
The narrative presents recent insights from Rosental Alves, notably his reflections at the tenth ‘Innovation, Technology, and Journalism’ conference in Buenos Aires. The earliest known publication date of similar content is from October 29, 2024, when Alves received the 2024 Press Grand Prize from the Inter-American Press Society in Córdoba, Argentina. ([archyde.com](https://www.archyde.com/call-to-embrace-ai-special-award-to-rosental-alves-digital-journalist/?utm_source=openai)) This indicates that the content is fresh, with no significant signs of recycling or republishing across low-quality sites. The narrative appears to be based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. There are no discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes compared to earlier versions. The inclusion of updated data alongside older material suggests a higher freshness score, though this should be noted.

Quotes check

Score:
9

Notes:
The direct quotes attributed to Rosental Alves in the narrative are consistent with his known statements. For instance, in an interview from August 15, 2019, Alves discussed the challenges and transformations in journalism, emphasizing the need for adaptation to new technologies. ([listindiario.com](https://listindiario.com/economia/2019/08/15/578346/no-escuchen-a-los-que-dicen-que-el-periodismo-esta-desapareciendo.html?utm_source=openai)) This suggests that the quotes are authentic and not reused from earlier material. No variations in wording were found, and no online matches were found for identical quotes, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.

Source reliability

Score:
7

Notes:
The narrative originates from La Voz, an Argentine news outlet. While La Voz is a reputable source, it is not as internationally recognized as some other media organizations. The narrative references Rosental Alves, a Brazilian journalist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, who is a credible and verifiable individual. There are no indications of unverifiable entities or fabricated information.

Plausability check

Score:
8

Notes:
The claims made in the narrative align with known developments in the field of journalism and AI. Alves’s reflections on the rapid evolution of AI and its impact on journalism are consistent with his previous statements and the broader discourse on this topic. The narrative lacks excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim, and the tone is consistent with typical corporate or official language. There are no inconsistencies in language or tone, and no signs of excessive drama or vagueness.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary:
The narrative is fresh, with no signs of recycled content. The quotes are authentic and consistent with known statements from Rosental Alves. The source is reliable, and the claims made are plausible and align with known developments in the field. There are no significant credibility risks identified.