How news audiences feel about AI use by newsrooms: What a new LMA–Trusting News survey reveals

As newsrooms experiment with artificial intelligence, one question matters most: what do audiences actually think?

In this episode of Keep It Local, Ryan Welton is joined by John M. Humenik, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Local Media Association, and Lynn Walsh, Assistant Director of Trusting News, to break down findings from a new national survey on AI and journalism.

The survey gathered responses from more than 1,400 local news consumers and reveals clear expectations around transparency, trust, and the role humans must play when AI is involved in news production.

In this conversation:
• Why nearly 99% of respondents say humans must review AI-assisted journalism
• Which AI uses audiences are comfortable with — and which raise concerns
• How disclosure and transparency affect trust in local news
• Why people who already use AI are more open to newsrooms experimenting with it
• How AI literacy could help strengthen audience trust
• What newsrooms should prioritize in 2026 as AI tools continue to evolve

Humenik and Walsh explain how this research can serve as a practical roadmap for newsrooms — guiding ethical AI use, internal workflows, and audience communication.

The full survey report is available at localmedia.org and is designed to be used directly inside newsrooms as a discussion and decision-making tool.

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