Processes of Implementation, Influence and Adaptation of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Media in Bulgaria Empirical Study of the Center for Media Studies at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of Sofia University „St. Kliment Ohridski“

In recent years, the introduction of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the media and journalism has become one of the most significant technological and social challenges of the 21st century. The development of algorithms capable of creating text, images, audio and video with similar or higher quality than human ones leads to fundamental changes in the way information is created, distributed and consumed. This development is already having a tangible impact on professional standards, ethical norms, economic models and the value framework of journalistic practice. This article presents the results of the first representative empirical study in Bulgaria among journalists, editors, media managers on the level of implementation, attitudes and ethical positions regarding the penetration of AI in the Bulgarian media.

Sample

The results of the study and the meta-analysis of comparable nationally representative studies by the Center for Media Studies outline the national context of the topic of the application of artificial intelligence in the media environment. The Bulgarian media environment has already been the subject of intense digital transformation over the past two decades. In conditions of economic pressure, limited resources and dynamic editorial processes, the implementation of generative AI is associated with both new opportunities and new threats.

Main Findings

The study confirms a series of hypotheses formulated at the stage of planning the study and constructing a cover letter, namely: - The implementation of generative AI in the Bulgarian media is taking place in a fragmented manner, without a centralized strategy and with varying degrees of technological maturity in different typologies of media, which leads to an uneven distribution of benefits and risks. - AI changes professional roles in journalism, reducing time for routine tasks, but increasing the need for critical thinking, editorial control and ethical judgment. - The use of AI gives rise to new ethical dilemmas – related to authorship, transparency, influence and algorithmic bias – which are currently not adequately regulated in Bulgarian media practice. - The audience in Bulgaria is skeptical of content created with AI, especially on sensitive topics (politics, healthcare, justice), but is more inclined to accept it in an entertainment and lifestyle context. - The lack of systematic training and professional standards for working with AI increases the risk of abuse, disinformation and a decrease in trust in the media.

Policy recommendations/implications

The Bulgarian media environment has already been the subject of intense digital transformation over the past two decades. In conditions of economic pressure, limited resources and dynamic editorial processes, the implementation of generative AI is associated with both new opportunities and new threats. Among the potential effects are: - Changing professional roles – automation of routine tasks and a focus on analysis, verification and interpretation of content; - Erosion of trust – in the absence of transparency in the use of AI tools, the audience may perceive content as manipulated or unreliable; - Economic consequences – cost reduction through automation, but also the risk of layoffs of journalistic positions; - Ethical dilemmas – related to authorship, personal data protection, algorithmic bias and liability for errors.