The Reuters Institute at Oxford University has released its annual predictions on the future of journalism, particularly in the digital world, for the next 12 months. What key trends in media and AI are highlighted by the research?
The report, Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends and Predictions 2025, published annually since 2012, surveyed the opinions of 326 senior media managers from over 50 countries and combined these insights with trend analyses in digital media. The result is a unique study that will help the media industry prepare for the near future.
What insights about AI can the media draw from the report?
AI’s primary use: automation in editorial processes
Various forms of automation, such as tagging or transcribing spoken word to text, are considered very important by 60% of the surveyed newsrooms and somewhat important by another 36%. Compared to the 2024 predictions, the report found the adoption of these tools has increased by several percentage points.
Other common AI applications include distribution and recommendation mechanisms (e.g., personalized home pages, 80%) and content creation with human supervision (e.g., summaries and headlines, 77%).
The data suggests that most newsrooms have embraced AI’s potential in their workflows and intend to continue expanding its use this year.
Generative AI is transforming journalism
A remarkable 87% of surveyed managers agree that generative AI has completely or partially changed how their newsrooms operate. Common use cases include speech-to-text or text-to-speech transcriptions, AI-generated article summaries, or automatic translations into multiple languages.
Different newsrooms adopt different solutions. For instance, some media houses (e.g., JP/Politikens) allow journalists to generate draft articles from bullet points, while others (e.g., Helsingin Sanomat) experiment with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to assist with research and fact-checking using trusted sources.
Some managers believe linking AI with investigative or data journalism can save months of work, significantly increasing efficiency.
New methods of reader interaction
Media consumption is evolving. Traditional formats (text, infographics, audio, and video) are being complemented by new interactive tools such as chatbots, voice assistants, and advanced search features. For example, Time magazine allows readers to “chat” with a digital version of an article’s author, and The Washington Post enables users to search its archives using an AI assistant. These innovations offer more personalized and engaging ways to consume media content.
The ongoing battle for content
Despite its potential, AI also brings challenges. One concern raised by media managers is that readers using external tools like ChatGPT may only engage with AI-generated summaries, bypassing the original sources. For media houses, this could result in reduced advertising revenue.
However, the Reuters report offers some reassurance, noting that many companies developing large language models (LLMs) are actively collaborating with media organizations. These partnerships recognize the importance of quality and verified sources. In fact, working with AI companies could prove more effective for media organizations than relying on social networks, especially as traffic from social media continues to decline at double-digit rates each year.
The challenges for smaller media outlets
Independent, smaller, and regional outlets face a disadvantage compared to multinational media giants, as their weaker negotiating positions make it harder to secure favorable partnerships with AI companies. To address this, nearly 75% of survey respondents support collective negotiations with AI providers on behalf of all media organizations.
The outcome of the New York Times‘ lawsuit against OpenAI for unauthorized content use is being closely monitored. While it is likely to be settled out of court, this case could set a precedent for other publishers to pursue similar action.
How we can help
If you are looking for a partner in AI innovation, we’re here to help. The Reuters report underscores the growing importance of AI in every stage of the media process. The good news is that investing in AI doesn’t have to be expensive or require you to build your own team—it can save thousands of euros every month.
Whether you need help with automatic tagging, generating article summaries, enabling journalists to quickly and reliably search your archives or other trusted sources, or implementing an entirely new AI-driven project, get in touch. We’ve delivered hundreds of solutions and have deep expertise in AI innovations for media. Our understanding of the best practices and potential risks will ensure your projects are a success.
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