Every year, the Pulitzer Prize is awarded to outstanding achievers in the fields of newspapers, magazines, online news, literature, and music composition.
This year, in 2024, among the 45 nominated journalists, 5 of them used AI technology in their works.
Although it is not yet clear to what extent they used artificial intelligence in their works, it has been confirmed that this technology was applied in various stages of their reporting process.
Marjorie Miller, the administrator of the Pulitzer Prize, told the Nieman Lab that the judging panel started discussing how to deal with AI earlier last year: "At that time, AI tools had a reputation of 'oh no, the devil is coming'..."
Miller further stated that the judging panel has always had an exploratory attitude from the beginning and never considered limiting this technology, as it could hinder newsrooms from "engaging with innovative technologies".
The Pulitzer Prize is generally regarded as the highest award and honor in the news industry and has now added disclosure requirements for all news contributors. They must share the use of AI in their research, reporting, or submission process.
When the finalists and winners are announced on May 8, 2024, more details about the use of AI may be revealed.
Reactions of the News Industry to the Use of AI
As this technology becomes increasingly prominent in various fields, it is understandable that awarding institutions and publishers are eager to establish appropriate policies.
The George Polk Awards are considering how to adjust their rules regarding technology. John Darnton, the curator of the awards, discussed his views in an interview with the Nieman Lab: "If generative AI is an integral part of the entire project, then I would be skeptical of it as a competition entry..."
"Most investigative projects rely on some form of moral judgment. I would not trust generative AI to make such judgments."
In July 2023, the Associated Press signed a two-year agreement with OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, to share access to specific news content.
This is one of the first agreements signed between an artificial intelligence company and a major news organization.
