The Impact of Knowledge Silos on Responsible AI Practices in Journalism

The effective adoption of responsible AI practices in journalism requires a concerted effort to bridge different perspectives, including technological, editorial, journalistic, and managerial. Among the many challenges that could impact information sharing around responsible AI inside news organizations are knowledge silos, where information is isolated within one part of the organization and not easily shared with others. This study aims to explore if, and if so, how, knowledge silos affect the adoption of responsible AI practices in journalism through a cross-case study of four major Dutch media outlets. We examine the individual and organizational barriers to AI knowledge sharing and the extent to which knowledge silos could impede the operationalization of responsible AI initiatives inside newsrooms. To address this question, we conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with editors, managers, and journalists at de Telegraaf, de Volkskrant, the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), and RTL Nederland. The interviews aimed to uncover insights into the existence of knowledge silos, their effects on responsible AI practice adoption, and the organizational practices influencing these dynamics. Our results emphasize the importance of creating better structures for sharing information on AI across all layers of news organizations.