Used carefully, chatbots can be an asset to newsrooms

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When The Arizona Daily Star began experimenting with chatbots in 2016, readers seemed excited…and a little confused. They were fascinated by the new technology, but often responded to the bot in ways that hinted they were unsure what, or who, was on the other end.

“A lot of users feel like they’re talking to a person,” says Daily Star Product Manager Becky Pallack, who helped test one bot targeted at local parents and another for super shoppers. “They’ll say thank you and send emojis.”

Bots are everywhere now, helping people hail Lyfts, order pizza, and choose lipstick—and the experience can range from simple and easy to befuddling and unpleasant. The stakes are higher, though, when those bots speak for organizations that bill themselves as trustworthy sources of information. Misleading audiences, even accidentally or for only a moment, can damage a newsroom’s credibility. That doesn’t mean journalists shouldn’t use bots, but they must pay close attention to how they’re presenting them to readers.

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