More than half of journalists fear their jobs are next. Are we watching the slow death of human-led journalism? In a profession built on truth-telling, the truth journalists are now confronting is a deeply unsettling one: the machines are not just coming—they’re already here.

In the Journalism and Artificial Intelligence Survey carried out by Pressat, working journalists have revealed that 57.2 per cent are concerned that artificial intelligence will replace more journalism jobs in the coming years. While technology has long played a role in shaping how news is gathered and reported, this new wave—marked by automated content creation, AI-based social media monitoring, and algorithmic editorial decisions—is sparking alarm across the industry. “We’re witnessing a slow, quiet extinction,” one respondent wrote.

Over 70 per cent of journalists said they are actively worried about AI displacing them within the next few years. 57.2 per cent of journalists fear AI could replace more jobs in the coming years, while two per cent have already lost their jobs to AI, and others suspect it was a factor. Approximately 34 per cent have witnessed AI tracking news via social media, and over 80 per cent believe AI-generated stories could be biased or discriminatory.

More than 60 per cent of journalists worry that AI will erode human identity and autonomy in journalism, and only 26.2 per cent believe that AI could enhance investigative journalism, while 30.4 per cent see it as a direct risk to integrity.

Trust is at the heart of this growing unease. A staggering over 80 per cent of journalists expressed concern that AI-generated news could be biased or discriminatory, with one admitting, “I have witnessed this already.”

"AI isn't a tool, it's a threat,” one journalist noted. “It doesn’t understand context, humanity, or ethics—but it’s cheaper," another respondent wrote. The threat is not just professional—it’s existential. More than 60 per cent believe AI could lead to a loss of human identity and autonomy in news reporting, with some warning that AI-generated content risks stripping journalism of its soul, turning a once deeply human profession into a sanitised stream of data outputs.

More than 30 per cent of respondents reported that they see AI as a potential risk to investigative journalism. While some see AI as a destroyer, others see opportunity. About 50 per cent believe AI could create new roles in journalism, especially in managing or overseeing AI tools—yet a large number remain unconvinced that newsrooms are ready. Ratings for preparedness were tepid, with scores clustering in the 2–4 out of 5 range, indicating that most journalists believe news organisations are only moderately equipped to integrate AI responsibly.

57.6 per cent of journalists stated that they have witnessed AI being used to track growing news stories by monitoring social media platforms. And while many acknowledge AI’s power to speed up story tracking, especially via social media surveillance, others voiced chilling concerns about AI being used silently in the background by employers—undermining both editorial independence and job security.

“Only a small minority of journalists felt their organisations had any real plan for ethical AI adoption." “One respondent put it bluntly: “We’re being thrown into this blindly, and it’s going to cost us our credibility.”

This survey sends a stark message that the profession that once held the power to challenge Big Tech now finds itself at its mercy. AI’s rise is no longer a future threat—it’s a present reality. And for many in journalism, the question isn’t whether AI will change their work—it’s whether there will still be human journalists left to do it.