The impact of artificial intelligence on journalism: How media trust and attitudes toward journalists shape acceptance, trust, willingness to pay for AI news, and support for replacing journalists

Although AI is advancing rapidly in many fields, its use in journalism is especially significant, as journalism shapes public opinion and fosters democratic discourse. Artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, has attracted attention for its potential to greatly enhance journalists’ work, but also raises concerns about ethics and job displacement. However, previous research has largely overlooked the public’s perspective on AI, even though understanding these views is crucial for predicting future consumption patterns. This study addresses this gap using data from cross-sectional surveys in Spain ( N = 2337) and Germany ( N = 2213), revealing cautious public attitudes toward AI in journalism. In both countries, acceptance of AI in journalism, trust in its output, willingness to pay for it, and acceptance of AI replacing human journalists are moderate to low. Favorable attitudes toward human journalists positively influence views of AI in journalism, while trust in the media shows a mixed effect. Overall, the findings suggest that public attitudes toward AI in journalism align with broader views on AI, with individual perceptions of AI being a stronger determinant than opinions on media and journalists.