The value of raw content is declining, as facts spread in seconds.
The value of editorial craftsmanship is declining (whether it’s a well-formulated article or an advanced 3D animation), as AI allows content to be composed with any desired angle in seconds.
The only aspect of news that retains (and perhaps increases) its economic value in the future is trust – recognized editorial brands will be able to charge for their content because people trust them.
Is it wise, then, for prestigious news companies such as The Guardian, Axel Springer and Schibsted, to sell their journalism to one leading AI lab (OpenAI) that can take their work out of context and present it as editorial content?
To understand this we must understand the significance that personal agents will have in the future… smart assistants, developed by leading AI labs, who know us better than we know ourselves. Their most important role is not to order dinner, but to act as gatekeepers for the enormous amount of information, content and offers the world wants to expose us to.
Who do you think should decide which news you receive? Recognized editorial publications with one front page? Or personal aggregators, controlled by a few global companies, who compile your very own news overview depending on your state of mind?
In a time where everything is about controlling the interface to the customer, the final link in a long chain of value production, newsrooms must realize that readers’ awareness of their brand is their only long-term value.
As an industry, editorial news already lost about two thirds of our revenue over the last 25 years. Sales is not going to be easier in a future where most news production turns non-editorial and fully automated. If we want to avoid losing the rest of that revenue, this may be the time to stand together.
Image source: OpenAI and The Guardian partnership announcement, OpenAI.com, February 14, 2025
About the author:
Tor Kielland is the CEO and co-founder of Open Mind, a company specializing in AI-driven solutions for responsible news writing.