Journalism and Gen-Z: What is the future of the profession, and will AI be friend or foe?

by Tabitha Bonner

As of 2026, approximately 45% of workers have AI anxiety: they fear that in the near future AI will make their job obsolete. From my perspective, as a Gen-Z student beginning to consider what my career might look like, this is an issue that definitely keeps me up at night! My passions lie in writing and journalism. Yet - before I’ve even started - a career in the industry feels precarious given my growing concern that AI may be able to perform better than me…

I recently started work experience at PR adtech specialist The Digital Voice™. My first job was to speak to a variety of teams, including content writing, social media and press relations, to discover how their sectors have changed over time and how they use these changes to elevate their talents.

AI isn’t the first technology to transform the industry, and it won’t be the last, so I was keen to find out how the various roles within journalism have adapted to change over time. 

The new role of a journalist

I aspire to be a journalist, to use my voice to amplify the voices of others and to transform my passion of writing into a full-time career. 

When I picture myself as a journalist, I imagine myself in the middle of the action, jotting notes into my phone, meeting up with clients for interviews, and seeing my own headlines published for the nation to see. However, the role of a modern journalist doesn't always look like this because huge technological advances have shaped and changed how media is both created and consumed .

What I have witnessed at The Digital Voice™, is the utilisation of the internet (via online publishers) and social media platforms to execute the agency’s vision, and to amplify the voice of its client partners more widely.

The Digital Voice™ harnesses software applications like Trello, Slack and Google Meet to carry out both client and team calls, the delegation of responsibilities and tasks within each team, and maintaining an astounding level of organisation that keeps the team on top. A perfect example of how companies , especially those involving writing, have been able to adapt to the inconstant demands of the ever-changing media. 

Not everything has to change though 

During my time spent at The Digital Voice™ as an inquiring student intern, I have spent a great deal of time getting to know the content writing team and gaining an insight into how they deliver quality pieces of work.

This area of The Digital Voice™ was particularly intriguing to me as they specialise in writing and amplifying their B2B tech client partners. The department possesses a variety of incredible talents that make them a well-rounded team. As an aspiring journalist, I was particularly keen to find out what key attributes and qualities make a great journalist:

• Listening:  Being a journalist is often about amplifying someone else’s voice - if they have something important or knowledgeable to say, sit back and let them speak. 
• Tenacity: Interviewing people in a journalistic capacity and trying to get the answers you want, can lead to difficult circumstances - so you need to be resilient.
• Insight: A good journalistic piece calls for a rich story - you need to have an understanding of the topic and be perceptive about what the best angle is.

While technology has certainly impacted the industry, these innate skills are something that can’t be stripped from us. Regardless of circumstance, whether work is being carried out in person, remotely, or with technological assistance, there will always be a necessity for specific skill-sets.

So, if the heart of what makes a good journalist remains unchanged, then how much influence can the development of technology and AI truly have on journalism?

Does AI have the power to shape the future?

Since the World Wide Web was invented in 1989, life as we know it has been completely altered. And, while The Digital Voice™ has found success through the countless technological developments it has embraced, the need for great journalism - produced by humans - has never changed… but it has been challenged.

Content aggregators, like Google, assemble information and news to one universal place allowing for easy user access, which has both reduced meaning and opportunities for individual journalists.

Add to this, the sudden AI surge, which is currently sweeping the world with generative AI engines that can produce essays, articles, stories and even literary pieces in just a couple seconds, are The Digital Voice™ content writing team worried?

Absolutely not.

While AI is a revolutionary advancement, it is incomparable to the work we can authentically produce. AI lacks personality and the content produced falls flat next to the work The Digital Voice™ team writes up. AI can’t understand the clients’ needs, it can’t tailor content to the desired audience and it does not possess the curiosity and passion that is integral to being a great journalist

Do I still want to be a journalist? Absolutely, yes!

Tabitha is a year 12 student at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls and an aspiring journalist. Tabitha joined The Digital Voice™ for a weeks’ work experience and spent time with our journalists, content managers and writers to learn first hand what life as a journalist is really like.