AI: Navigating Disruption and Opportunity in Journalism at Web Summit Lisbon 2026
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<img decoding="async" src="https://web-summit-engine.imgix.net/0sn0dvnmy8u1jhmapxsiiwyezzo7?auto=format&amp;fit=fill&amp;fill=solid&amp;fill-color=white&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fm=jpg&amp;dl=Chung-Yan Chow.jpg" alt="Chung-Yan Chow" align="left" hspace="10" width="200" style="float:left;margin-right: 15px">
At Web Summit Lisbon 2026, Mr. Chung-Yan Chow, Editor-in-Chief of South China Morning Post, moderated a panel on AI&#8217;s impact on media. He highlighted AI&#8217;s potential to disrupt human connections in journalism, discussing both challenges and opportunities for the industry&#8217;s future.

Mr. Paul Bascobert, President of Reuters News, expressed unease with reporters creating AI agents without oversight. This practice, he noted, raises cyber risks and compliance issues, emphasizing the need for strict control despite AI&#8217;s extensive use in Reuters&#8217; operations.

Ms. Julie Pace, SVP and Executive Editor for the Associated Press, worried AI could distance journalists from their audience. She stressed understanding audience needs, ensuring AI layers don&#8217;t obscure direct human connection, and keeping journalism responsive to its human consumers.

Mr. Louis Dreyfus, CEO of Le Monde, firmly stated AI should not write published articles. He warned that AI-generated content would erode reader trust, jeopardizing Le Monde&#8217;s subscription model. He emphasized AI&#8217;s role as a powerful assistant, not a replacement for human authorship.

For news agencies, AI offers operational benefits. Mr. Bascobert explained that Reuters uses AI tools to help editors quickly extract information from thousands of daily stories, enhancing efficiency in content creation and delivery to newsroom clients.

Mr. Bascobert also identified new corporate opportunities: providing trusted, real-time news feeds from Reuters to AI agents for functional decision-making. Ms. Pace added that news agencies are well-positioned to adapt, given their history of serving diverse customer bases.

Mr. Dreyfus shared Le Monde&#8217;s positive experience with AI for distribution. Partnerships with platforms like OpenAI drove new audiences, converting to subscriptions at significantly higher rates than those from Google Search or Facebook, acting as an effective content &#8220;teaser.&#8221;

The panel acknowledged shrinking attention spans, particularly among younger demographics, a trend predating AI. Mr. Dreyfus stressed adapting by engaging audiences on platforms where they are present, aiming to eventually draw them back to native apps.

Regarding AI in editing, Mr. Bascobert supported AI for analysis but insisted on human editors for ultimate decision-making. He highlighted accountable journalism, where a human journalist&#8217;s name is tied to every published piece, ensuring responsibility.

Ms. Pace emphasized the irreplaceable human support role of editors for frontline journalists. Beyond textual editing, editors provide crucial emotional and logistical support, recognizing when field reporters need breaks or resources, vital for journalist well-being.

Mr. Dreyfus clarified Le Monde hasn&#8217;t seen subscription declines due to AI, attributing audience shifts to algorithm changes. Multi-year licensing deals with AI labs provide &#8220;very significant&#8221; revenues, contributing to Le Monde&#8217;s profitability.

To support smaller newsrooms, Mr. Dreyfus advocated stronger regulation, particularly from the European Commission. He urged mandatory collective licensing deals with AI players, ensuring fair compensation for all publishers, fostering a diverse media landscape.

Ms. Pace noted legal battles would likely shape the future of licensing and IP protection. Mr. Bascobert concluded by encouraging journalistic entrepreneurship, suggesting AI could lower costs and ease distribution, enabling individuals to find niches.

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