Journalism in the age of AI (with Dylan Matthews)

Oct 4, 2023 1h 14m 15 insights Episode Page ↗
Spencer Greenberg and Dylan Matthews discuss the impact of AI on journalism, the print media industry, and the future of labor. They explore how LLMs challenge traditional journalism, the evolution of media business models, and novel approaches to distributing AI's economic surplus.
Actionable Insights

1. Invest in Future-Proof Skills

Evaluate current skills and strategically invest in developing new ones that are less susceptible to AI automation, as the value of traditional skills may shift rapidly.

2. Experiment with AI Governance

AI companies should actively experiment with novel governance structures to better align their incentives with long-term humanity and avoid potential negative outcomes from traditional corporate models.

3. Implement AI Windfall Clauses

AI companies should consider implementing self-imposed “windfall clauses” to donate a set percentage of profits exceeding a high threshold to charitable causes, distributing economic surplus to society.

4. Diversify AI Governance

When establishing governance structures for powerful AI companies, ensure a diverse intellectual culture beyond a single group (e.g., EAs) to bring varied premises and perspectives to problem-solving.

5. Study Regulatory History for AI

To inform AI policy and regulation, research how past regulatory regimes (e.g., financial, nuclear, FDA) developed, as these historical analogs may offer productive insights despite AI’s unique challenges.

6. Enhance Writing with AI

Leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to refine your writing by asking them to rewrite your text in the style of a skilled author, which can often lead to improved quality.

7. Direct AI with Roles

When using LLMs, explicitly instruct them to adopt a specific role (e.g., “pretend you’re a really good journalist”) to guide their output and achieve more targeted, higher-quality results.

8. AI for Idea Generation

Employ Large Language Models to overcome writer’s block or generate new ideas by prompting them with your interests, potentially leading to novel concepts and pathways for exploration.

9. Exploit Market Inefficiencies

Seek out underserved or undervalued niches in the market, like Blumhouse did with low-budget horror films, to achieve high profit margins by catering to a devoted fan base.

10. Diversify Digital Media

In digital media, avoid over-investing in a single strategy or platform, and instead learn to adapt and pivot between emerging opportunities to ensure long-term survival.

11. A/B Test Headlines Rigorously

For online content, generate numerous headlines (e.g., 20) for each post, then rigorously A/B test them to optimize for engagement and click-through, as demonstrated by Upworthy’s early success.

12. Use ThoughtSaver for Recall

To strengthen your recall of important ideas and combat forgetting, use ThoughtSaver, a free tool that emails daily flashcard quizzes on topics you care about.

13. Optimize Podcast Speed

Gradually increase your podcast listening speed until it feels slightly uncomfortable, as this can help you consume content more efficiently.

14. Support Podcasts

If you enjoy a podcast, rate and review it wherever you listen and share it on social media to help the show reach a wider audience.

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