In this dialogue, Dr. Hannes Cools examines the rise of generative AI from the perspective of journalism and communication science. Situating ChatGPT within a longer history of technological change in journalism, the conversation explores how generative AI differs from earlier technologies in its speed, scale, and impact on professional autonomy and agency. Dr. Cools reflects on the changing nature of journalistic work, the emergence of AI shame, the importance of critical AI literacy, and the methodological challenges of studying rapidly evolving technologies. The dialogue also considers digital autonomy, open-source language models, and the dependency of news organizations, universities, and public institutions on Big Tech infrastructures. Rather than treating generative AI as either a threat or a solution, the discussion emphasizes the need for communication researchers to critically examine how these technologies are designed, adopted, normalized, and governed. It concludes by emphasizing the role of communication science in offering careful, evidencebased analysis of generative AI, with attention to how these technologies are designed, adopted, and integrated into professional practice, institutional routines, and our daily life.