Algorithmic journalism, or ‘robot journalism’, has reached a point of technical viability, writes Konstantin Nicholas Dörr, of University of Zurich. The author analyzed the contemporary state of the art, its potential, and interviewed some of the key players on the field.

Despite its limitations natural language generation (NLG), as Dörr calls the process, can perform some tasks currently overseen by live journalists. This creates potential to cut losses and glean profits from previously untapped ‘long tail’ market niches, the author concludes. As a result, the algorithmic journalism already exists, even though it is still nascent as an industry.

Dörr’s article Mapping the field of Algorithmic Journalism was published by the journal Digital Journalism. It is freely available online.

Illustration: Untitled by Comfreak, licence CC0 1.0.