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MediaMorph Edition 83 - by HANA News
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The written-by-a-human bit
If I had to sum up this year for AI and media and publishing, it would be: “Well, I used an AI notetaker and the ceiling didn’t fall in”.
The debate finally moved on from “should we/shouldn’t we” to the rapid adoption of AI tools across the newsroom and business functions. Smart editors encouraged not just notetaking, but also transcription, translation, data extraction, deep research, and automated style guides. The few remaining sceptics are not only risking their jobs but also their org’s financial fitness. Internal AI really is an Ozempic for the balance sheet, creating a leaner, fitter, fat-free organisation.
Externally, the news is less good. Organic search traffic is falling off a cliff. Ask the niche travel and recipe sites that are no longer the destination site, but the unwilling carrion for scavenging AI platforms.
In short, the best strategy for 2025 has been to run towards AI internally while shoring up your defences against external forces: block the bad bots (sue), signpost the good bots (sign deals), and encourage direct traffic through differentiation and trust, character, and quality.
Looking forward to 2026, success will depend on being ever leaner while increasing relevance. Early evidence suggests that the little traffic that does make it via Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity is highly engaged and more likely to subscribe. That is one reason to be optimistic. Winning the citation on AI answer engines is the new strategic priority for 2026.
An early Christmas present/olive branch from OpenAI - a free Academy for News Organisations, including on-demand training, practical use cases, open source projects, shared resources and guidance on responsible use cases.
“We recognize that adopting new technology raises important questions for journalists and publishers, including concerns about trust, accuracy, and jobs. The Academy is built with those realities in mind.”
No snark from me; it looks well-intended and well executed. “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”, as we say in the UK— full review to follow in the New Year.
My Christmas book recommendation of the year is These Strange New Minds: How AI Learned to Talk and What It Means by Christopher Summerfield - an entertaining, philosophical and readable introduction to our new LLM colleagues by a highly qualified Oxford neuroscientist and former DeepMind researcher.
Also recommended:
Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI — Ethan Mollick
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI — Yuval Noah Harari
Empire of AI: Inside the Reckless Race for Total Domination — Karen Hao
Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit — Henry A. Kissinger, Craig Mundie, Eric Schmidt
Not forgetting my own self-published, “The AI Prophet”, written for my nephews and nieces as a survival guide.
And breathe…
A final thank you to you for reading my weekly musings this year, and especially those who share (the sign-up form is here) - we reach a highly influential audience of C-suite media and AI leaders, and look to bring the two together where possible.
Further thanks to our clients, partners and my team at Mathison AI and Hana News for pushing the boundaries on what we can build, including weekly local newsletters for Bristol and Oxford - AI curated, human-edited and growing nicely.
Happy Christmas!
Mark Riley, CEO Mathison AI
Team Mathison AI - with apologies to Time Magazine
AI and Journalism
This week’s best long reads, as chosen by Hana and our editors
Journalism is in danger of bending itself around AI As journalism increasingly embraces AI, there are growing concerns that the industry may prioritise efficiency and content delivery over its fundamental democratic role of informing the public and holding power accountable. This shift risks reducing journalism to mere optimisation, potentially compromising its integrity and purpose in a commercialised landscape. |
AI makes human journalists more important than ever As The Daily Memphian celebrates its eighth anniversary, it emphasises the enduring need for quality journalism amid technological advancements and misinformation, with a strong commitment to fact-based reporting that resonates with the local community. With nearly 40 journalists and significant revenue from paid subscriptions, the outlet highlights its role in providing reliable news in an era where trust is paramount. |
Introducing OpenAI Academy for News Organizations Openai - The American Journalism Project and The Lenfest Institute are launching a new learning hub to empower journalists and publishers with AI tools and training, enhancing their skills in reporting, content creation, and audience engagement. This initiative emphasises adapting to technological advancements while upholding journalistic integrity through workshops, online courses, and collaborative projects. |
The value of journalism in the AI era Mongabay - Recent reports underscore the urgent need for global cooperation in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, highlighting advancements in renewable energy technologies and effective community-led conservation initiatives. Despite promising developments in habitat protection and ecosystem restoration, challenges like deforestation remain significant hurdles to overcome. |
NewsGuild declares war on AI ‘slop’ The #NewsNotSlop campaign raises awareness about the impact of AI on journalism, emphasising the critical role of unionised journalists in maintaining ethical standards and public trust. By advocating for human oversight and accountability, the initiative seeks to prioritise quality journalism over automated content, ensuring news remains credible and reliable. |
Editor’s Pick: Best of Data Journalism from 2025 Gijn - In 2025, global news coverage highlighted critical issues such as U.S. trade policies, the Russia-Ukraine war, and humanitarian crises in Gaza and Sudan, while artificial intelligence's societal impact sparked extensive investigations into its effects on employment and energy consumption. Noteworthy reports included insights on climate change conspiracies, the exploitation of workers in AI training, and a significant investigation into Iran's oil trade evasion amid sanctions. |
Breaking the news? Deutsche Welle - December 19, 2025 Join prominent media makers, tech innovators, and policymakers at the "Breaking the news? Global perspectives on the future of journalism in the age of AI" conference in Berlin on January 28, 2026, as they collaborate to shape a sustainable future for independent journalism amid the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. This invitation-only event will feature insights from global experts, including DW's Barbara Massing, addressing key issues like fair compensation and the impact of disinformation on media visibility. |
Al Jazeera launches new integrative AI model, ‘The Core’ Al Jazeera - December 21, 2025 Al Jazeera Media Network is launching "The Core," a new initiative in collaboration with Google Cloud, aimed at integrating AI into journalism to enhance data processing, content creation, and workflow automation. This partnership marks a significant step towards reshaping news reporting and consumption in the AI era. |
5 predictions for AI’s growing role in the media in 2026 Explore the transformative impact of AI on the media industry, where automation is revolutionising content creation, enhancing audience engagement through targeted analytics, and bolstering credibility with real-time fact-checking against misinformation. Discover how these trends are reshaping journalism and creating new opportunities within the business of news. |
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AI and Academic Publishing
Researchers who use generative AI to write papers are publishing more Chemical & Engineering News - December 18, 2025 A recent analysis in Science reveals that the use of generative AI tools has significantly boosted publication output across major preprint servers, with increases of over 36% on arXiv and nearly 60% on the Social Science Research Network. However, concerns have emerged regarding the declining readability of scientific literature and a rise in objective mistakes, prompting calls for further evaluation of AI's impact on research quality. |
Why 2025 was a big year for academic publishing Research Professional News - December 23, 2025 In 2025, scholarly publishing faced significant challenges due to the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, sparking intense debates over copyright, authorship, and ethical AI use in research. As open access publishing gained traction, experts sought innovative solutions to navigate the complex interplay between AI, intellectual property rights, and sustainable publishing models. |
The Scholarly Kitchen Explores the Future of Academic Publishing Infotoday - December 18, 2025 Mandy Hill, managing director of Cambridge University Press, argues in The Scholarly Kitchen that the current academic publishing model is inadequate for meeting the evolving needs of research, particularly as global investment grows to tackle urgent issues like climate change and health crises. She highlights the risks of stagnation in research dissemination and public trust if reforms are not made, emphasising the critical need for a more robust system. |
What the hyperproduction of AI slop is doing to science The Conversation - December 19, 2025 A recent study from UC Berkeley and Cornell University reveals that generative AI boosts academic productivity, especially among non-native English speakers, but raises concerns over the quality of complex language in publications. As AI tools become integral to writing, reliance on linguistic complexity as a marker of scholarly merit may be misleading, emphasizing the need for more rigorous peer review evaluations. |
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don’t Exist — And They’re Being Cited in Real Journals Rolling Stone - December 17, 2025 A troubling trend of "citation laundering" is emerging in academia, as both students and researchers unknowingly rely on AI-generated citations that lead to fictitious sources, undermining scholarly integrity. This phenomenon not only confuses educators but also poses a significant threat to the credibility of academic work, prompting urgent calls for critical evaluation of AI's role in research and education. |
Weekend reads: ‘How long does it take to kill zombie papers?’; ‘The H-Index of Suspicion’; former Springer editors launch new journal Retraction Watch - December 20, 2025 This week's Weekend Reads from Retraction Watch covers significant developments in research integrity, including a former vice chancellor in Pakistan facing new sanctions for plagiarism, Dana-Farber's $15 million settlement over image manipulation, and the challenges posed by "zombie papers" in academia, alongside rising concerns about misconduct in bioengineering and the impact of AI on scientific publishing. |
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Back on Tuesday 6th January 2026
