This research examines how journalists use artificial intelligence (AI) applications to develop journalistic content by looking at a sample of employees in newspapers and online news outlets in Iraq. A descriptive survey research design was employed, and data was collected using a structured questionnaire on 250 journalists. This work is due to determine how much AI is used, what is their most popular application, how journalists evaluate their efficacy, and what difficulties are hampering their implementation. According to the findings, most journalists use AI tools – in particular, text generators and voice to text systems – on a regular basis, and many say that AI has a positive influence on the quality of content, the speed of production and the generation of ideas. However, several barriers were uncovered: including low levels of technical skill and limited training opportunities. The results highlight the importance for media organizations to invest in capacity building and AI-specific journalistic tools. This research sheds new light on the developing relationship between AI and journalism and provides timely guidelines for encouraging AI-driven journalism in a responsible and effective manner. In the future, longitudinal research as well as cross-region comparison of AI’s effect on journalism are to be considered for further investigation.