Is AI and Influencer Culture Overshadowing Real Journalism?

We’re no longer just digesting news—we’re consuming opinion shaped by creators and influencers. A viral TikTok clip or trending Instagram video can become the story before any journalist has verified facts.

That concern is underscored by a recent Pew Research Center-led survey revealing that 59% of Americans predict AI will displace journalism jobs in the next 20 years, and 66% are highly concerned about misinformation from generative AI.

On the content creation front, platforms are thriving on emotionally charged snippets. For younger audiences—especially Gen Z—outlets like TikTok, driven by influencers, now compete with traditional media. A report by Forbes shows that influencer-created news is gaining traction as a go-to source for real-time events.

Users often encounter stories secondhand. The Reuters Institute’s 2025 Digital News Report found that 72% of respondents had recently seen misleading or false news, and fewer than half attempted to verify it. This highlights a growing dependence on curated narratives presented as news.

Algorithms compound the problem. According to a Deloitte-analysis of 2025 media trends, social platforms prioritize short, attention-grabbing videos. The result? Deep, context-rich journalism gets overshadowed by sensational bite-sized content.

Journalism, by contrast, remains rooted in verification and accountability. However, tradeoffs are weakening many outlets—newsrooms from Vice to BuzzFeed to NPR have cut staff or seen revenue decline. Still, legacy outlets are adapting, investing in “journalists with digital reach” who can navigate formats while maintaining integrity.

For readers, discernment is everything. Before resharing a clip, pause. Is it context or commentary? Take a moment to fact-check with resources like Snopes, Reuters Fact Check, or PolitiFact. Remember that jumping on the viral bandwagon might spread opinion, not verified news.

There’s a future where influencers and journalists don’t compete, but collaborate—where creators bring stories to life underpinned by journalistic rigor. Until then, knowing who’s behind the content—and why—remains our best tool for being informed in an increasingly noisy digital world.