Fighting Fire with Fire: Journalistic Investigations of Artificial Intelligence Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

This paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in investigative journalism for scrutinizing AI algorithms behind large digital platforms. It draws lessons from two journalistic case studies that leveraged AI to analyze AI models from large digital platforms: the scrutiny of training data for large language models and the analysis of TikTok’s recommendation algorithm in the context of eating disorders. Through practical examinations, the paper outlines three ways in which AI techniques can assist in navigating the technological complexity of large digital platforms: speed and scale, personalization, and reproducibility. Furthermore, through the case studies presented in the paper, the study aims to show how small interdisciplinary teams of journalists and data scientists can effectively hold digital platforms accountable and present complex algorithmic processes in an accessible manner to the public.