Richard Lui, an esteemed news anchor for MSNBC and NBC, as well as an author and filmmaker, recently urged the journalism industry to proactively integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their practices. Speaking at the University of Mississippi on April 1 during the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation’s symposium titled “Addressing the Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Democracy,” Lui highlighted the critical need for the media sector to take ownership of AI developments to uphold journalistic standards.
Lui expressed concern that if journalists fail to embrace AI technology, it may cause a disruption similar to the one social media inflicted on journalism when content was freely given away. “We can create and own the large language models, the AI engine itself and apply journalistic values to it,” Lui said. He emphasised the importance of instructing AI systems to follow rigorous journalistic standards, including source verification, to ensure credible content. Lui proposed the possibility of a syndicate of companies collectively owning such AI tools, thus embedding journalistic ethics directly into new AI-driven distribution channels.
Despite recognising that the adoption of AI would likely lead to industry pivots, including layoffs and structural changes, Lui urged the media to capitalise on the new technology before other sectors do. “We’re looking for new ideas in new markets. Yes, that does mean journalism should look at how to capitalize itself in a way,” he said. He warned that if the journalism industry does not step forward, technology corporations such as OpenAI, Google, Microsoft or Deepsea will inevitably create advanced AI platforms tailored specifically to news, relegating journalism to a marginal role once again.
Lui highlighted an opportunity for journalism to secure exclusive content rights and develop proprietary AI or large language models (LLMs) to maintain control over the news market. He referred to this strategy as the opportunity to “pivot and move the market,” emphasising the importance of journalists leading these innovations.
Reflecting on his own career, Lui shared insights about his early affinity for journalism, which began during a high school summer camp through the creation of a newsletter with a friend. With over 30 years of experience in media, technology, and business, Lui has directed documentaries for NBC Nightly News Films and has been a prominent anchor for NBC and MSNBC since 2010.
Lui also spoke candidly about a personal turning point in his career, prompted by his father's diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. Faced with the challenge of balancing his demanding job in New York and caregiving responsibilities in California, Lui decided to work part-time—a move that he initially saw as risky given his hard-earned position in the industry. His employer was supportive, recognising similar caregiving duties in her own life. As a result, Lui arranged to anchor on weekends in New York while flying extensively to California during the week to support his father, logging 300,000 miles annually over seven years.
This caregiving experience informed Lui’s journalistic work, enabling him to approach stories with deeper empathy and new perspectives. He has explored themes of caregiving and mental health through filmmaking in “Unconditional” and “Sky Blossom.” “Unconditional” follows multiple families, including Lui’s own, through their caregiving journeys, sharing intimate portrayals of their struggles and resilience. Lui described the emotional involvement in his projects but noted his ability to maintain professionalism: “I care about them a lot because they decided to show something to that world that I think can help other people.”
Additionally, Lui has authored the book “Enough About Me,” which examines selflessness from a business perspective and explores why individuals sometimes act selflessly towards others. He aimed to modernise the discussion on altruism and motivate reflection on this aspect of human behaviour.
The Daily Mississippian is reporting on Richard Lui's advocacy for AI integration in journalism and his contributions to caregiving awareness through media and literature. His experience and vision provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of journalism amid rapid technological change.
Source: Noah Wire Services