AI Adoption in Transitional Media Systems
The Integration of AI in Newsrooms across the Western Balkans
Copyright (c) 2026 Alban Zeneli, Ramadan Çipuri, Dren Gërguri, Edlira Palloshi-Disha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
This paper examines AI integration in three transitional Western Balkan countries: Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia, all characterised by structural constraints, scarce resources, and ongoing professional transformation, which may influence the way they adopt technology. This research is based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and a cross-sectional survey of 227 journalists and editors conducted during 2025. The results show that AI adoption is still at its initial, uneven phase across the region: reported usage is low, there is a lack of training, and institutional support is also minimal. The general tendency for performance expectations of AI is toward scepticism, but the tendencies concerning effort expectancy and facilitating conditions tend to be neutral, which denotes a transitional rather than a resistant attitude. Disagreements between online and television media support the idea that AI attitudes are influenced by the organisational structure. Implementing UTAUT in the context of journalism research and positioning AI adoption in transitional media systems, this study broadens the geographical and theoretical domain of AI-in-journalism research.
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References
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