{
  "id": 9738824,
  "title": "The most valuable thing AI can do for media isn’t save time",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/the-most-valuable-thing-ai-can-do-for-media-isnt-save-time",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-25T08:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91607993/ai-most-valuable-thing-for-media"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent discussions about artificial intelligence in media have largely focused on its efficiency benefits, such as saving time when generating story ideas, conducting research, producing content, crafting headlines, social media copy, and even writing itself. While there's no shame in striving for efficiency, AI can also provide novel ways to connect and engage with audiences by delivering valuable information in new and innovative ways - a concept known as \"opportunity AI.\" This idea became the focus of a recent episode of a popular AI podcast, where the host emphasized how opportunity AI could reshape the media industry. At present, however, the efficiency gains resulting from AI adoption haven't necessarily improved reader engagement, as the content remains fundamentally unchanged. To capitalize on opportunity AI, media organizations must treat articles as just the starting point, with their archives serving as a valuable product. Successful examples include the Nursing Times' answer engine, which draws exclusively from its clinical and news archive, and Skift's \"Ask Skift\" feature, designed to answer the questions of travel professionals using the publication's extensive reporting. These initiatives have not only boosted reader engagement but also turned engaged readers into paying subscribers. For local outlets, incorporating AI into beat coverage or ongoing stories can foster reader participation. The Texas Tribune's approach to school vouchers coverage demonstrates how AI can be used to respond to reader questions, potentially shaping future reporting. Meanwhile, international publications, like Agência Mural in São Paulo, are leveraging AI to deliver personalized alerts based on public data, showcasing how AI can transform local journalism into a continuous decision service. AI-driven video creation is another opportunity for media organizations to engage audiences, allowing reporters to produce short-form videos using AI-powered pipelines, even if the resulting content isn't perfect. While not all initiatives will succeed, embracing opportunity AI offers media organizations a chance to produce unique, tailored content that sets them apart from their competitors and keeps readers coming back for more.",
  "summary": "Over the past three years, almost all of the discussion on the use of AI in media has been about efficiency: how much time AI can save you when it helps with story ideas, research, production, headlines, social copy, and even, to some extent, writing. All of those use cases are about doing basically the same thing, only faster. No shame in any of it—efficiency is a worthy goal, and artificial…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}