5 ways AI is being used in newsrooms

1. Promote interaction

One of the most common ways news publishers are using AI and machine learning is through AI-powered algorithms to personalize content recommendations. This can help increase engagement and keep readers on the news site longer.

The Washington Post is a pioneer in this field, using AI to personalize the news it provides based on readers' interests. The news organization initially used this model on its app and newsletter, and now it's right on its homepage.

2. Adjusting the fee schedule

There are many different types of paid walls. However, regardless of the approach, the ultimate goal remains the same: to encourage readers to subscribe and pay.

One of these models, the dynamic paywall, will use AI to change the free article limit. Therefore, depending on different times, behaviors, and metrics, the automated paywall will help identify consumer paying trends, thereby helping to find potential readers.

5 ways AI is being used in newsrooms (Figure 1) — AI will help optimize revenue streams and identify the right potential audience.

New York Media, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and Der Spiegel are some of the leading news publishers that have adopted this model in recent years. They have used AI to determine individual paywalls based on variables including geography, consumer habits and access behavior, as well as the topic and device used.

3. News production

This is the most prominent area in the era of AI journalism. Currently, many newsrooms have adopted AI to produce their own news articles, but most will be subject to censorship and rely on data generated by the newsroom itself (unlike chatbots that "manipulate" information online).

As one of the first news organizations to leverage AI for content creation, the Associated Press (AP) has been using AI since 2014 to generate earnings summaries from publicly traded companies. This allows them to provide readers with key information quickly and accurately, freeing up reporters to focus on more creative work.

Along with freeing up reporters, this technology has allowed AP to create more content, even up to tenfold, producing over 3,000 articles per quarter compared to just 300 previously.

Currently, major news organizations such as Bloomberg, the New York Times, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and Xinhua News Agency are all using AI to help automate news production.

4. News Release

Another potential benefit of AI is its ability to support newspapers that want to deliver news to readers—no matter where they may be. Politico has used AI to automatically convert news articles into daily podcasts. This makes it easier for their subscribers to follow the news even while on the go.

If this AI model is leveraged, it would be a huge time and personnel saver for many newspapers. Another benefit is that this technology opens up new distribution avenues without requiring a lot of staff and costs because everything can be reused.

5. Personalize content and advertising.

Based on individual preferences, AI can personalize the news that newspapers provide to readers. Its use is increasing and has become very common in large news organizations.

Currently, up to 9,000 news organizations are using the Taboola platform for this purpose. News outlets such as The Independent in the UK and Estado de Minas in Brazil have seen a 30%–50% increase in traffic to their personalized Taboola-designed homepage sections.

Beyond content, AI can also be used to deliver better advertising experiences. Condé Nast is currently using machine learning technology to find patterns that can help make advertising more contextually relevant and personalized for readers.

Source