Get started
Work

‘Now There Is Somebody I Can Go to, Although It’s an AI’: Evaluating Acceptance and Use of Obruche, a Pilot Chatbot to Prevent Power Asymmetries in Cross-Border Journalism Teams

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This exploratory study examines how journalists in/coordinating investigations use a chatbot designed to reduce power asymmetries during remote work. Twelve freelancers across Africa, Europe, and India tested Obruche, a chatbot advisor covering risk mitigation, pay equality, tension de-escalation, and intellectual property protection. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, semi-structured interviews were coded for Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Facilitating Conditions, and Social Influence. Results show journalists gravitate towards chatbots that are cognisant of their location-specific challenges and able to provide information that facilitates access to media outlets or peers for future collaborations. Next-best-action responses that expanded user queries or offered role-play scenarios also left journalists feeling supported, less lonely, and not judged. However, the chatbot’s female persona, scepticism of artificial intelligence, and chatbot novelty may reduce user acceptance. Obruche’s potential areas of intervention are linked to eight types of organisational power. The chatbot mainly assisted journalists to confront or rebalance Control of Knowledge and Information, and Control of Scarce Resources, aiding users’ Ability to Cope with Uncertainty. This research contributes to recent qualitative studies on journalists’ well-being by demonstrating how chatbots can mitigate power imbalances between dispersed teams of journalists. The benefits and concerns presented may inform future designs of similar team-mediation chatbots.
DOI: 10.3390/journalmedia7020075
Author: Ruona Meyer
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
OpenAlex ID: W7148390031
FWCI: 7.583
Cites: 84
Cited by: 1
Related to: