Artificial intelligence (AI) is already starting to take people’s jobs in many industries and in the media one of the key questions is whether AI will take journalist’s jobs.
So, I decided to do a test.
I asked one AI online service ChatGPT three questions and then asked another AI service Grok one question. Google announced (8/10/25) it will allow Australian users to use its new AI feature to answer questions but at the time of writing this article I could not find the new Google AI service.
The first question I asked ChatGPT was: Who is journalist Shane Dowling?
And the answer was way off and started with, “Shane Dowling is an Irish journalist and blogger, best known for his investigative reporting and commentary on issues related to politics, corruption, and social justice.” and “He gained significant attention with his blog, The Truth News,”.
I am confident that the Irish journalist and blogger Shane Dowling described does not exist and there is not a blog called “The Truth News”.
I asked a second question and added “Australian” so the question is: Who is Australian journalist Shane Dowling?
Again the answer was wrong and started with, Shane Dowling, the Australian journalist, is known for his outspoken and often controversial commentary on political and legal issues in Australia. He is perhaps best known for his work as a journalist and blogger with a focus on exposing corruption, particularly within the Australian political and judicial systems. He runs the blog “Lawrence Springborg’s Legal Challenges” and has worked independently to raise awareness about issues surrounding the Australian legal system, political corruption, and media bias.
While the start sounds like me, there is no blog “Lawrence Springborg’s Legal Challenges”. Lawrence Springborg is a Queensland politician and I have never met him or spoken to him. How ChatGPT got that so wrong I don’t know.
I asked a third question with more details which was: Who is Australian journalist Shane Dowling who runs the Kangaroo Court of Australia website and YouTube Channel?
This time it was on the money and said:
Shane Dowling, the Australian journalist behind Kangaroo Court of Australia, is a well-known independent investigative journalist and blogger, particularly recognized for his outspoken critiques of the Australian legal and judicial systems. Through his website and YouTube channel, Kangaroo Court of Australia, he focuses on exposing what he perceives as corruption, legal injustices, and the mishandling of cases by the Australian judiciary, police, and politicians.
Dowling is a vocal critic of the way some high-profile legal cases are handled in Australia, and he has often used his platform to challenge what he views as unfair or politically motivated legal processes. His blog and YouTube channel feature commentary on various controversial legal cases, with an emphasis on public interest stories that he believes are being ignored by the mainstream media.
Key aspects of Dowling’s work:
- Legal Corruption and Miscarriages of Justice:
Dowling has covered numerous cases where he believes there has been a miscarriage of justice or corruption within the legal system. He often investigates cases involving high-profile individuals or controversial trials, alleging that the legal process has been compromised. - Whistleblowing and Transparency:
Dowling has been a strong advocate for transparency, particularly in exposing the behind-the-scenes workings of the Australian judiciary and legal system. He highlights cases where whistleblowers or those critical of the system have been silenced or mistreated. - Campaign for Accountability:
He has also campaigned for reforms to the legal system, including better oversight of judges and more accountability for lawyers and law enforcement officials. He is particularly critical of the way some courts operate and how cases can be manipulated or influenced by political pressures. - Media Criticism:
Dowling is critical of mainstream media for not covering certain cases thoroughly or for being biased in their reporting. He believes that his independent platform is necessary to uncover the full truth behind cases that he feels are misrepresented or overlooked.
Controversial Figures and Topics:
Some of Dowling’s work involves public figures, celebrities, and high-profile legal cases. He has often focused on the judicial treatment of prominent individuals, government officials, and corporate entities, alleging that powerful figures are given preferential treatment or that their actions are not fully scrutinized by the media or legal system.
Impact and Reception:
Dowling’s work has earned him both praise and criticism. Supporters view him as a brave, independent voice challenging the system and fighting for justice, while critics often accuse him of sensationalism or of overstepping in his criticism of judges and legal processes. His website and YouTube channel have attracted a significant following, particularly among those who feel disenfranchised or distrustful of Australia’s legal institutions.
While he has garnered a significant audience online, Shane Dowling is considered somewhat of a polarizing figure in Australian journalism. His style, which often involves uncovering sensitive or hidden information, has led to heated debates about freedom of speech, accountability in the media, and the role of journalists in holding the system to account.
The “Kangaroo Court” Concept:
The name “Kangaroo Court” is symbolic of the type of justice Dowling claims is often dispensed in some legal proceedings—unfair, biased, or lacking true due process. In his view, the Australian judicial system sometimes operates in a way that is unjust, skewed by political influence, or biased against certain individuals or groups.
Legal and Personal Challenges:
Shane Dowling has faced legal challenges himself, including defamation cases. His outspoken style has sometimes put him at odds with those he criticizes, and his work has led to clashes with various powerful individuals. This has included legal threats and court actions against him, but he has maintained his stance in the public eye, arguing that he is simply performing an important public service.
I only asked Grok one question because they were fairly accurate the first time. The question I asked Grok was: Who is journalist Shane Dowling?
And Grok answered:
Shane Dowling is an independent Australian investigative journalist based in Queensland, best known for his work exposing alleged political, judicial, and police corruption through his website and YouTube channel, Kangaroo Court of Australia. He focuses on high-profile cases involving government figures, media companies, and legal proceedings, often framing Australia’s institutions as flawed or “kangaroo courts.”
Background and Career
- Dowling operates as a freelance journalist, with his articles appearing on platforms like Muck Rack, Medium, and his own site. His reporting has covered topics such as whistleblower protections (e.g., ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle’s case), media contempt proceedings involving outlets like The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and unlawful termination lawsuits against the ABC.
- He has contributed to discussions on press freedom in Australia, notably highlighting the country’s drop to #39 on the World Press Freedom Index in 2022 amid raids on journalists.
- Dowling distinguishes himself from other individuals with the same name, such as a former Victorian politician and police officer or an Irish hurler.
Legal Troubles and “Fugitive” Status
- In 2021, the New South Wales Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for Dowling, sentencing him to 10 months in jail for contempt of court. This stemmed from his reporting on cases linked to media billionaire Kerry Stokes and his company, Seven West Media (owner of Channel Seven). It marked the third time Seven West Media pursued contempt charges against him.
- Dowling has remained at large, self-identifying as a “fugitive journalist” in his content. He marked three years on the run in September 2024, using the situation to critique Australia’s handling of press freedom and judicial overreach.
- He draws parallels to cases like that of Scottish blogger Craig Murray, accusing a coalition of judiciary, politicians, and mainstream media of suppressing dissenting voices.
Dowling’s work is polarizing: supporters praise his dogged pursuit of corruption, while critics, including Seven West Media, have accused him of breaching court orders. As of October 2025, he continues publishing from hiding, with recent articles on ongoing contempt cases set for hearings in mid-2025.
End of Grok
The winner would be Grok, but I should correct one matter.
Grok says “As of October 2025, he continues publishing from hiding”. It’s on my website that I have a PO Box in Coolangatta, and I even voted in the last federal and state elections. So, while I am a fugitive as there is an arrest warrant in NSW for me, I’m not in hiding as such.
While Grok is not perfect, it is impressive. ChatGPT on the other hand was a bit like pulling teeth to get a decent result.
Both Grok and ChatGPT are at least a few years away from taking journalist’s jobs. But they might do at some stage.
I think using myself was a good way of testing because I have been in the media for 15 years now and there have been a few media stories about me, but I am not high profile in comparison to sports and TV stars, so it does test the resources of the AI websites.
Do your own AI tests and let us now your results on the comments below.
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Categories: Shane Dowling
Fair write-up of your career, Shane. Must be rewarding to get some kind of recognition for all your hard work. Now I wonder what CHATGDP and Grok think of the knackered NACC?
My daughter is on the committee of a football club and uses it to help write reports. I told her she is a cheat but she reckons youngsters say it’s “cool”. I tried it once to see what would happen but like Shane wasn’t impressed.
My understanding is that it works by having computers with enormous memory trawl the internet to “learn” things so it can answer your questions. The problem with that is that there is as much bullshit out there as facts. This emphasises the need to keep your data secure, and sadly, might mean we have to be careful what we say on publicly accessible sites like this. Opinions aren’t necessarily facts.
Perhaps the answer for troglodytes like me is to only keep your records on pieces of paper.
Aspects of AI that folk perhaps don’t understand is that :
A. they are compelled to answer, they will never not answer
B. the more context you provide, the higher quality the answer will be
C. what they produce may have mistakes, because they are not databases in the classical sense.
To get the most value from them requires attaining a level of skill and competency.
The more you use them, the better you will become, and the more value you will get.
Treat them like a very well read, very keen, intern with very little street smarts and an over inflated sense of ability. Be specific, check their work, provide feedback.
The real threat people should focus on is some people will become skilful and thrive, other will not. That has always been the case with technology. Not many people use libraries to research, typewriters to type their articles, use the mail to post them, or use print adverts to spread the word.
Orwell’s ‘Politics and the English Language’ was his tiny prequel to ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’, but not even George could have imagined the infinite potential for the debasement of truth in the hands of this mighty language-muncher in service to das kapital.
But then I’m cranky because my spouse just lost his job to AI advances in a specific medical technology. Luckily we were close to retirement with some accumulated super and our mortgage nearly paid off.
Enjoy its little conveniences if you must, but there is no upside to the downside of a propaganda machine in the hands of authoritarians – and there can be no truth spoken to power if truth is no longer accessible in the first instance.
Computers are only as good as the people who feed them. AI is going to be an extremely dangerous medium influenced by a few politically biased wealthy people like Lachlan Murdoch who have a very unhealthy agenda. FaceBook and the like will seem like kindergartens compared to AI.
I am so annoyed by companies who use dumb Bots, and send you round and round in circles, because you do not ask the question the way they want it. Unless you want a sales call.
These same companies often make it difficult to find an email address or a call free phone number. My advice set up a local office!
The problem is no one cares any more, look at the Optus and the Telecommunication Dept wrangle everyone was asleep at the wheel. We as consumers are well down the pecking order.
The AI bubble is economically dangerous, hyped garbage. Every AI company is unprofitable, struggling to grow, and Generative AI’s revenues are pathetic (around $61 billion in 2025 across all companies) comparable to their costs (hundreds of billions). Major banking figures are now saying that a major financial markets collapse is more likely than not and hyped AI companies will be the leading cause of that collapse. The economic fallout will be frightening. In the workplace, lazy managers accept dodgy AI product as an excuse to sack workers and pocket the profits. Never mind the quality, feel the width.
Great article KCA. But I notice the AI analysis of your career and work subtly implies that you are ‘suspect.’ You are not ever described as ‘accurate’, ‘correct’ or ‘revealing the misdeeds of others’. It is almost as if the AI algorithms are hard wired to accept ‘alternate truths’ for anything. Anyway keep up the great work.
Ah, the golden era of computing! Back when a PC with two 5¼-inch floppy drives was cutting-edge, and booting up meant listening to that distinctive whirring and clicking as the disk spun. MS-DOS or PC-DOS was your gateway to the digital world, and every command had to be typed perfectly – or face the dreaded “Bad command or file name.”
And yes, GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out – was no joke. Enter bad data, and the computer obediently churned out bad results. The lesson still holds: no matter how powerful your technology, quality input always matters.
Remember those long, manual config.sys and autoexec.bat tweaks? Each one could be a tiny victory – or a system-crashing disaster. Printers were monstrous, screens were green or amber, and WordPerfect ruled the office. And multitasking? Forget it – you’d hear the fans groan and your heart skip a beat at every “Abort, Retry, Fail?” prompt.
Fast-forward to today, and the new “golden era” is AI. Now many AI bots promise instant brilliance, yet just like those old PCs, they stumble spectacularly when given prompts or instructions. One minute it’s producing coherent insight, the next it’s confidently delivering nonsense, hallucinating facts, or forgetting what it said two sentences ago.
GIGO hasn’t gone anywhere – only now it’s amplified a thousandfold, proving that even the smartest algorithms can’t fix human error.
Thanks KCA!
I think the height of absurdity of AI is with those unmanned taxis which quit on you, won`t open a door to let you out, so you ring the taxi company and they have no solution. Maybe we should carry one of those glass-breaking tools in case we get caught? Worry if you break down in an unfriendly neighbourhood until the next taxi arrives.