When AI Enters the Syllabus: Journalism’s Crossroads of Threat and Opportunity

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes embedded in journalism, educators face the challenge of determining its place in undergraduate instruction. This study analyzes undergraduate journalism syllabi ( N = 60) from ACEJMC-accredited programs to examine how AI is framed across writing, production, visual/data, and ethics courses. Guided by a constructionist framing perspective, a qualitative content analysis identified three patterns: AI as a threat to learning and professional standards, AI as a tool permitted under strict boundaries, and AI as a subject of ethical and professional inquiry. Findings reveal uneven approaches shaped by instructor discretion, underscoring the need for coherent curricular strategies.