By Victoria Bernat
@redlineproject
AI disclosure: AI tools including ChatGPT and Google Gemini were used to help with outlining, background research and editing suggestions. All reporting, writing and interviews were conducted by the author.
Summary: Artificial Intelligence is becoming more common in local newsrooms as journalists look for ways to work more efficiently with limited staff. While AI can help with editing, data organization and translation, journalists warn that relying too heavily on automation can damage accuracy, trust and the core role of human reporting.
This essay argues that AI can be helpful for local newsrooms but can quickly become harmful when it replaces human judgment, transparency and accountability. In other words, AI should be used as an assistant rather than a substitute for journalists. Smaller local newsrooms — many operating with fewer than a dozen staff members — depend heavily on their connection with their audience and community trust. When AI enters that environment, it must be used carefully and transparently.
Why Local Newsrooms Are Turning to AI
Local news outlets have been shrinking in recent years. According to research from Northwestern University’s Medill Local News Initiative, more than 2,900 U.S. newspapers have closed since 2005, leaving many communities with limited access to local reporting. Thousands of newsroom jobs have also disappeared during that time.
With fewer reporters and shrinking budgets, many newsrooms are looking for tools that can help them work more efficiently. Organizations like the Poynter Institute, which studies journalism and media ethics, have described AI as a potential “second chance” for local newsrooms. At the same time, Poynter warns that news organizations must learn how to use these tools responsibly rather than rushing to adopt them simply because they are new. One of the biggest challenges local newsrooms face is limited staff and resources.
That can mean fewer investigative stories and less coverage of important community issues such as school boards, city councils and local government decisions. AI can help with some of the background work — organizing information, summarizing documents or helping edit drafts — so reporters can spend more time on actual reporting.
Kathleen Danes, managing editor of the Evanston Roundtable, a digital local newsroom in Evanston, Illinois, said AI has become part of the newsroom’s conversations in the past six months as staff members explore how to use the technology responsibly. “Our newsroom is small, so we’re always looking at tools that might help with efficiency,” Danes said. “But we’re also very careful about how we use AI because accuracy and trust are the most important things for us.”
How AI Can Help Local Journalism
One of the biggest benefits of AI is speed and efficiency for tasks that do not require deep reporting. For example, automated tools can help process election results, sports scores or weather updates quickly.
AI can also help with data-heavy stories. Large language models can analyze large datasets faster than humans, as long as journalists still verify the results.
Danes described AI as an “extra pair of eyes” during editing.
“It’s helpful as another set of eyes when I’m editing,” she said. “It can catch spacing or grammar issues that I might miss after looking at a story for a long time.”
For the Evanston Roundtable, this can save time on technical editing tasks. Danes said their WordPress system does not have built-in spell check, which means editing stories sometimes requires additional formatting and proofreading.
“For example, if a story comes in with formatting problems, that might take me 20 or 30 minutes to fix manually,” Danes said. “AI can help fix that kind of thing in seconds.”
Saving time on small tasks can be significant for local journalists. Instead of spending hours fixing formatting, transcribing interviews or organizing notes, reporters can focus more on reporting, interviewing sources and investigating stories.
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which works on local news innovation and sustainability, has also encouraged newsrooms to think of AI as a tool rather than a replacement for journalists. The organization suggests treating AI like an intern, it can help start a task, but editors must always review and verify the work before publication. The Associated Press has taken a similar approach. AP guidelines encourage newsrooms to keep humans in control of editorial decisions and apply what some journalists call an “80/20 rule,” meaning AI may assist with routine tasks but humans remain responsible for the final reporting and verification.
AI may also help local outlets reach broader audiences. Translation tools can make local news accessible to readers who speak different languages. In multilingual cities like Chicago, this could help more residents understand local issues that affect their communities.
For example, some digital outlets have begun experimenting with AI translation to provide stories in Spanish and other commonly spoken languages. When used carefully and reviewed by humans, this approach can make local reporting more accessible without replacing journalists. AI can also support reporters behind the scenes by organizing documents, identifying patterns in data and summarizing long reports. These tasks may not be glamorous, but they help local journalists produce more meaningful stories with limited staff.
How AI Can Harm Local Journalism
Despite its potential benefits, AI also carries serious risks for local newsrooms.
Accuracy is one of the biggest concerns. AI systems can produce incorrect or misleading information, sometimes called “hallucinations.” If a newsroom publishes those mistakes, it can damage credibility with readers.
Danes has already seen examples of this problem.
“Sometimes AI makes strange changes,” she said. “I’ve seen it switch a year from 2026 to 2025, or make other edits that don’t make sense.”
Even small errors can create bigger problems if they go unnoticed before publication.
Danes also pointed to cautionary examples from other news organizations where automated sports stories generated from box scores produced confusing or inaccurate reports.
“They technically ran, but they didn’t make sense,” she said.
These situations highlight the dangers of treating AI like a journalist rather than a tool.
Another concern is bias and lack of context. Local journalism often requires understanding the history, culture and relationships within a community. AI systems cannot fully understand those dynamics. Stories produced or heavily influenced by automation may technically include correct facts but still miss the deeper meaning that matters to readers. This is especially important when reporting on topics such as crime, immigration, protests, schools or local politics. Transparency is another critical issue. If audiences feel misled about how news is produced, trust can quickly break down.
Danes believes newsrooms should be open about when AI tools are used.
“I think readers deserve to know,” she said. “If we’re using AI in any part of the process, we should be transparent about it.”
Organizations focused on journalism trust, including Trusting News, have also emphasized the importance of transparency and clear newsroom policies around AI use.
Finally, AI raises ethical and legal concerns when used to generate text or images without careful oversight. Even when the intention is efficient, the outcome can sometimes be misinformation. Local newsrooms often lack the resources that national organizations have to correct widespread mistakes once they spread online.
A Realistic Middle Ground: AI With Human Oversight
The most realistic approach is not to frame AI as entirely good or entirely bad. Instead, the key question is how it is used. Responsible use means keeping humans in control of editing, fact-checking, policy development and audience transparency.
“Don’t rely on it completely unless there is 100 percent human oversight,” Danes said.
That perspective reflects a growing consensus among journalism organizations. AI can help catch mistakes, speed up formatting and assist with data summaries, but journalists must remain responsible for the final decisions. Technology analysts have also suggested that the future of AI depends on how society chooses to regulate and adopt it. Some scenarios envision steady improvements that support human work, while others warn about concentrated power and declining public trust if technology is misused. In journalism, the outcome will likely depend on newsroom choices. If AI is treated as a shortcut or replacement for reporting, it may damage credibility. But if it is used carefully as a support tool, it could help local journalists focus on what matters most: serving their communities.
Conclusion
AI is already entering local newsrooms and will likely remain part of journalism for the foreseeable future. It can help with editing, formatting, transcription, data summaries and expanding audiences through translation. But AI becomes harmful when it replaces human judgment, produces unchecked errors or damages audience trust through secrecy and careless use. Local journalism is not just about producing content. It is about accountability, accuracy and community knowledge. The best path forward is one supported by newsroom reality and responsible policy: treat AI as a tool, establish clear guidelines and remain transparent with readers. When AI operates under strong human oversight, it has the potential to strengthen local news rather than weaken it.