Analysis of the use of artificial intelligence in the writing of digital news by Ecuador’s most widely read online media outlets: cases of El Universo, Primicias, and El Comercio during the first half of 2025

Abstract

The incorporation of artificial intelligence tools into journalistic routines has transformed the production and organization of news content. This study analyzed the coherence, style, and structure of digital news articles published by El Universo, Primicias, and El Comercio during the first semester of 2025, with the aim of characterizing their levels of discursive standardization and assessing their compatibility with potential forms of algorithmic assistance. The research adopted a qualitative approach, an exploratory-descriptive scope, a comparative design, and content analysis. The initial corpus comprised 180 national news articles, while the final sample included 60 units selected according to temporal, thematic, and authorship diversity criteria. Coding applied common rules to assess coherence, style, and structure; authorship served as a contextual variable, and automated detector results were used as complementary information. El Comercio showed a high level of standardization, with a predominance of highly standardized structures and homogeneous style. El Universo also reached a high level, with stable structures and an even distribution between homogeneous and moderately variable styles. Primicias displayed a moderate level of standardization, associated with greater stylistic variability and contextualization. The findings provide systematic evidence of the discursive configurations of the three media outlets and identify patterns compatible with potential forms of algorithmic assistance, interpreted within the exploratory scope of the study.