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Reconceptualizing Gatekeeping in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Theoretical Exploration of Artificial Intelligence-Driven News Curation and Automated Journalism

Dan Valeriu Voinea · Journalism and Media · 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how news is produced, curated, and consumed, challenging traditional gatekeeping theories rooted in human editorial control. We develop a robust theoretical framework to reconceptualize gatekeeping in the AI era. We integrate classic media theories—gatekeeping, agenda-setting, and framing—with contemporary insights from algorithmic news recommender systems, large language model (LLM)–based news writing, and platform studies. Our review reveals that AI-driven content curation systems (e.g., social media feeds, news aggregators) increasingly mediate what news is visible, sometimes reinforcing mainstream agendas, according to Nechushtai & Lewis, while, at other times, introducing new biases or echo chambers. Simultaneously, automated news generation via LLMs raises questions about how training data and optimization goals (engagement vs. diversity) act as new “gatekeepers” in story selection and framing. We found pervasive Simon’s theory that reliance on third-party AI platforms transfers authority from newsrooms, creating power dependencies that may undercut journalistic autonomy. Moreover, adaptive algorithms learn from user behavior,

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