More than two-thirds of media outlets in Moldova currently use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, according to data from the Media Needs Assessment Study released by the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) on June 23.
According to the document, 67% of survey participants say that artificial intelligence is used in their professional activities, while 26% say that such technologies are not yet used in their newsrooms. Among newsrooms that use AI-based tools, 54% say they are used to some extent, 37% indicate limited use, and 9% say they are used extensively.
The data indicates that the most commonly used AI-based tools are automatic translation (63%), followed by text generation applications (57%) and automatic correction or rewriting of written content (54%). Approximately half of respondents say they use AI for audio-video transcription (53%) and image generation (50%). Automatic subtitling is mentioned by 32% of participants who use such technologies.
In terms of access to these tools, almost half of institutions use both free and paid versions (49%). Another 43% rely exclusively on free versions, and 9% use only subscription-based tools. Of those who only use free options, 38% consider that they have a significant need for paid subscriptions, while 21% do not see any need to switch to paid versions.
The research shows that most respondents (88%) who use AI-based tools believe that their institution’s employees should participate in training on how to use these technologies. 12% of institutions that use AI-based tools say they have clear and functional internal policies on the responsible and ethical use of these technologies. In 28% of cases, policies are being developed, and 44% say they have no policies but consider them necessary. 15% of respondents say they have no policies and do not consider them necessary at this stage.
“The most common reason given by institutions that do not use AI-based tools is lack of need (35%). Another 23% say they do not have the necessary knowledge or do not know how to use these tools. To a lesser extent, respondents mention that they have not had the opportunity to try them (8%), that they do not trust these technologies (8%), or that they do not have the financial resources to adopt them (4%),” the document indicates.
The study on the needs of media institutions in the Republic of Moldova was conducted by Magenta Consulting on behalf of the Independent Journalism Center. Its purpose was to identify the difficulties and needs facing the country’s media sector. The research included an online survey of 101 media institutions, 16 in-depth interviews, three group discussions, and desk research, with data collected between April 14 and May 19, 2025.