AI hasn’t devalued journalism. It has raised the stakes. In a world flooded with misinformation, trusted reporting is more critical than ever. Yet many publishers worry that their current models hang in the balance, fearing AI will reduce the value of traditional news.
Cornerstone publishers for the world’s media, such as the Financial Times and the UK’s Reach PLC network, have highlighted challenges in adapting to changing user preferences, most recently recognising that many online users are looking no further than AI overviews for answers. Publishers are right to be concerned; they’re also right to be breaking ground on how AI can help them provide additional value.
The question now is whether individuals are leveraging generative search platforms, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s AI overviews, which sit at the top of SERPs, instead of journalism, or in addition to it. Regardless, recent debate often frames journalism and AI as opposing forces.
But how would a similar outlook have shaped the last great transition, when journalism went online? If pen in hand never evolved into fingers on keyboards, would publishers have reached global audiences in the same way? No. AI represents a shift of the same magnitude. It is a chance for journalism to evolve again.
Consumer preferences and publisher imperatives
There’s no doubt that new features added to SERPs have changed information-gathering habits. But AI can raise publishers to new heights by expanding both the value readers receive and the commercial opportunities at hand. Some media outlets, such as POLITICO and the Financial Times, are already finding ways forward with AI-supported approaches.
Publisher’s race to be accurate and first are two objectives that do not always complement one another. Yet the consumer demands it, and journalism’s strict code of ethics dictates it. Trusted AI models can help journalists move faster while maintaining accuracy. For routine stories, that may mean speed; for complex ones such as government changes, defense announcements, market shifts, or multilingual coverage, the advantages compound.
Publisher challenges and AI solutions
Whether social media likes it or not, publishers are still relied on as the primary source to clarify and explain detailed issues. That value hasn’t diminished; only its presentation must adapt. When an article is a wall of black-and-white text, readers bounce.
Sourcing appropriate and relevant media is not always possible, hence the reliance on vaguely relevant stock imagery seen among even the world’s most prestigious outlets. These images do little to engage, often breaking up text for appearance rather than meaning.
AI now makes it possible to go further by generating reports that weave in visuals, interactive elements, and context seamlessly. Instead of filler imagery, publishers can offer layered multimedia that deepens understanding and draws readers in.
This isn’t decoration. It’s usability. Online journalism increasingly requires a complete package. With AI-supported design, words become the foundation of richer, more compelling stories.
At the same time, AI can help journalists process data at scale, uncover trends, and embed insights into stories in ways that weren’t possible manually. The right tools must be chosen carefully. Models need to fact-check, filter by authority, and pull from verifiable sources.
Journalists can then refine that raw material with storytelling skill. The result: reports that include contextual visuals, sentiment data, and explorable features like summaries, translations, and data visualisations.
Commercial opportunities: personalisation and premium products
While journalism must be fast, accurate, and engaging, publishers also need sustainable business models. Some view shifting reader preferences as a threat, but AI also unlocks new commercial opportunities.
Personalisation and premium products become more viable when AI enriches both the content and the experience. Readers may turn to search engines for quick answers, but for the full picture they will continue to rely on publishers who combine journalistic expertise with modern, AI-enabled delivery.
Negotiating new data responsibilities
The advent of AI is not without hurdles. Anthropic’s recent lawsuit settlement is a reminder of the evolving regulatory landscape. Publishers must address legitimate concerns, particularly in the absence of global AI governance. By working with partners that prioritise compliance and copyright protection, issues of infringement and misuse can be mitigated.
Here lies an opportunity. Publishers can actively help shape regulation and industry standards, building trust by showing data is used responsibly and fairly compensated.
Change, not decline
Publishers should remain confident in the role they play as society’s most verifiable source of truth. AI will not change that. It will amplify it. Like every shift before, from print to radio to digital, this is evolution, not extinction.
Handled correctly, AI can push journalism to new levels of responsibility, value, and commercial opportunity. Embrace the tools, focus on creating more value for every reader, and journalism will not decline. It will rise.
By Shaun Modi, CEO, Capitol AI
