Robots at the Gate : How Chinese Technology Journalists Use Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools

This study adopts alienation theory as its theoretical framework to examine how Chinese technology journalists use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and how this affects their sense of alienation. Qualitative interviews were conducted with four media managers and twenty-four Chinese technology journalists from different media outlets with varying years of experience. The study seeks to answer a central question: to what extent does the use of GenAI in Chinese newsrooms influence alienation among technology journalists?

Four sub-questions guide the analysis:
(1) What GenAI tools are currently used by Chinese science and technology journalists, and how do they interact with these tools?
(2) How do these journalists incorporate GenAI into their professional practices?
(3) How does the use of GenAI influence working conditions (e.g., hours, workload, job stability), labour skills (e.g., autonomy, skill complexity, skill value), and social relationships in the newsroom?
(4) How are these effects related to different dimensions of alienation?

Existing studies on AI in journalism have significant limitations. The emergence of GenAI applications has rendered many earlier conclusions outdated, as much of the literature focuses on the human–technology rivalry while neglecting the underlying political and economic structures of this conflict. To generate deeper insights, this study reviews the origins and development of alienation theory, the evolution and social implications of AI and GenAI, Marxist debates on automation, and the global (including Chinese) applications of AI in journalism. It then analyses how Chinese technology journalists carry out their daily work, how they use GenAI tools, and the ways these tools have transformed their professional experiences. Finally, the findings are interpreted through the lens of alienation theory.

Results indicate that GenAI tools have been widely adopted by Chinese technology journalists. Compared with earlier newsroom AI programs, GenAI tools have stronger functional capabilities and are applied in more diverse ways. At present, GenAI does not significantly intensify alienation among experienced journalists; however, younger and less experienced journalists, including interns, face potential negative effects such as deskilling and job insecurity. In the longer term, alienation is likely to deepen as GenAI becomes increasingly indispensable yet remains outside journalists’ ownership and control, posing potential challenges to their professional autonomy and stability。