Solrun Dregelid
PhD fellow at Oslo Metropolitan University / Nettavisen
I am an experienced journalist with a background in feature journalism for several major Norwegian newspapers. Currently, I am a journalist at Nettavisen, which is also the industrial partner for this PhD project. My academic foundation is a Master’s in Journalism from OsloMet (2016), where I explored digital storytelling and audience engagement—an interest in digital transformation that I now bring into the age of AI.
While my previous work focused on the form of digital journalism, my research now shifts toward the process and methodology. I am investigating how Generative AI can serve as a catalyst for professional growth, specifically by providing "all-around" journalists with the augmented agency needed to take on the "watchdog" role. By bridging my practical experience from the newsroom with academic inquiry, I aim to uncover how technology can democratize investigative reporting and ensure that high-impact journalism remains sustainable in an automated media landscape.
Tell us about your project!
This project explores how Generative AI (GenAI) can act as a "methods-mentor," providing all-around journalists with augmented agency to conduct investigative work. While investigative journalism in Norway is currently dominated by a technical "elite," generalists face the commoditization of routine news. I hypothesize that GenAI can democratize specialist skills—specifically data analysis—without compromising professional autonomy, by acting as a tool for methodological empowerment.
The research follows a three-stage qualitative design:
Interviews with expert data journalists to map core methodologies for AI-assisted workflows.
An autoethnography of an AI-supported investigative project, focusing on verification and human-AI interaction.
Action research within Amedia, examining how all-around journalists implement AI-supported investigative methods in resource-constrained environments.
By investigating the intersection of technology and professional practice, the project aims to revitalize the "watchdog" role in local newsrooms, aligning with DIGIT’s focus on digitalization and society.
“I am investigating how Generative AI can serve as a catalyst for professional growth, specifically by providing "all-around" journalists with the augmented agency needed to take on the "watchdog" role.”
— Solrun Dregelid on her PhD project “Democratizing the Watchdog”