By Chris Taylor
Publication Date: 2026-03-19 19:00:00
When tracer fire and explosions erupted in the night sky over Baghdad in 1991, it signified more than just the beginning of Operation Desert Storm. The resulting CNN effect — whereby news reports reported events in real time around the clock — threatened centuries-old forms of diplomacy and espionage. If US presidents could see what was happening live on television, why did they need spies or ambassadors?
In fact, this revolution in consciousness and sensory perception did not (completely) occur. But today, journalism as we know it faces an almost existential threat from AI and its increasing impact on the way people consume information and generate knowledge. The forces released will also have profound consequences for the intelligence business. These consequences are being examined in a new ASPI research project.
In January, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism published Journalism and technology trends and predictions 2026. This report highlighted profound changes that AI is expected to bring…
