At this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, Adam Singolda sat down with Mike Reed, CEO of Gannett | USA Today and Christian Broughton, CEO of The Independent, to explore how generative AI is shaping the future of journalism. Far from viewing AI as a threat, all three leaders expressed optimism about its potential, especially when placed directly in the hands of journalists.
Their conversation emphasized the industry’s responsibility to guide AI adoption with intention and integrity, using it to elevate storytelling, boost newsroom efficiency, and build deeper, more dynamic connections with audiences.
The Role of Journalism In An AI World: Trust
A central theme of the discussion was trust. As AI disrupts old models of content discovery, Gannett | USA Today and The Independent are doubling down on what sets them apart: original, verified reporting and human-led narratives. “Our role as publishers is to do the work – to go out and cover the events, report the facts, and report both sides of every story,” said Reed.
As more readers rely on AI-powered search engines, often fueled by unverified sources, publishers are uniquely positioned to provide clarity, context, and credibility. “Even if there’s just a one percent chance in your mind that you might not be getting the nuance on a particular subject, then there’s a case for publishers,” added Broughton.
Both leaders stressed that AI, when paired with strong editorial values, can strengthen engagement and improve journalist satisfaction. Broughton highlighted how automating repetitive and time-consuming production tasks can give reporters more time to focus on high-value journalism – the kind that distinguishes trusted newsrooms from AI-fed aggregators.
Introducing DeeperDive: Integrating AI Tools With Trusted Journalism
The panel introduced DeeperDive, Taboola’s industry-first Gen AI answer engine. Designed to live directly on publisher platforms such as USA Today and The Independent, DeeperDive draws from the publishers’ own trusted and verified content to deliver accurate, AI-generated summaries, enhancing user experience without compromising on journalistic integrity.
In addition to answering user questions with concise, context-rich summaries, DeeperDive surfaces related content from the publisher’s archives, creating a deeper and more engaging content journey. “DeeperDive is going to allow us to understand what consumers want to know, and create more content based on that,” said Reed.
Broughton also spotlighted The Independent’s new AI-powered news platform, Bulletin, built for busy readers who still value quality.
“Just because you don’t have much time doesn’t mean you just want cheap, rubbish journalism,” explained Broughton. “We vouch for all the news we produce, we only point the AI at stuff we’ve already approved, and we have a human editor sign it off.”
Since its launch, Bulletin has been a runaway success, now driving close to 1/5th of total engagement across The Independent’s site. It’s a powerful example of how AI and human journalism can be fused to create innovative, curated formats without compromising trust.
A Hopeful Future For Human + AI Collaboration
Looking ahead, both Broughton and Reed envision a future where AI boosts newsroom productivity and reshapes organizational roles. “We won’t lose jobs,” said Reed, “but the jobs will be very different.”
They agreed that successful AI integration will require deep cultural alignment within media organizations. Innovation must be championed from the top, or progress will stall. “A great response to AI is to be human. People trust people,” said Broughton, “That’s a great opportunity for publishers to put their talent front and center.”
Ultimately, the panel offered an optimistic vision of the future of journalism: one that embraces technology without losing sight of trust, human storytelling, and purpose.
