The deepfake technology is based on generative artificial intelligence and enables the creation and manipulation of convincing audiovisual materials that pose one of the greatest challenges to contemporary journalism. Although being a relatively recent phenomenon, it already significantly affects public trust in the media and the broader understanding of truth within the modern digital media environment. This master's thesis examines the dual role of journalism in relation to this technology: journalists act both as potential users of tools for creating deepfakes and as guardians of truth, who must be able to identify and eliminate deepfakes from the media ecosystem. The core of the thesis focuses on transferring the concept of deepfake technology into the context of journalism, both from the perspective of its potential application in everyday journalistic work and from the perspective of recognizing synthetic audiovisual materials. In the final part, the issue of deepfakes is contextualized within the Slovenian media landscape. Through empirical research, the thesis explores how Slovenian media outlets are adapting to a new media reality in which the line between authentic and fabricated content is increasingly blurred. Thus, the thesis provides an up–to–date insight into the current state, the perception of the threat, and the responses of Slovenian editorial offices to the challenges associated with the use and misuse of generative artificial intelligence.
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