Economic implications of AI on media industries: A systematic review

Introduction: artificial intelligence continues to reshape media industries with demands on content creation and distribution of media products. This paradigm shift requires research to better understand AI’s implications on the media industry. However, existing studies lack synthesis of empirical studies.Objectives: to analyze the economic implications of AI on media industries.Method: a systematic review of 65 articles was carried out, published between 2014 and 2024 from EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, ResearchGate and Scopus databases. Results: majority of the studies reviewed lacked theoretical foundations, highlighting a gap in AI research on media industries. There was a steady increase of publications from 2022 to 2024, reflecting growing scholarly interest in the field. Three major themes relating to the economic implications of AI on media industries emerged: job performance, economic hardship, and ethical challenges. The study highlights that research on the subject is most active in Europe and Asia, with limited publications in Oceania and Africa. Additionally, no article was recorded in South America. Conclusion: artificial intelligence profoundly influences media economics, highlighting both opportunities and challenges that redefine industry practices and academic discourse globally.