Author: Dev Pragad, CEO, Newsweek
As artificial intelligence platforms increasingly mediate how people encounter news, media leaders are confronting an important change in the relationship between journalism and the public. AI-driven search and conversational interfaces now influence how audiences discover and trust information, often before visiting a publisher’s website.
According to Dev Pragad, the implications for journalism extend beyond traffic metrics or platform optimisation. “AI has effectively become a front door to information, That changes how journalism is surfaced, how it is understood, and how publishers must think about sustainability.”
AI is redefining news distribution
For a long time, digital journalism relied on predictable referral patterns driven by search engines and social platforms. That model is now under strain as AI systems summarise reporting directly in their interfaces, reducing the visibility of original sources. While AI tools can efficiently aggregate information, Pragad argues they cannot replace the editorial judgement and accountability that define credible journalism.
“AI can synthesise what exists,” he said. “Journalism exists to establish what is true.”
This has prompted publishers to rethink distribution and the formats and institutional signals that distinguish professional reporting from automated outputs.
Why publishers cannot rely on traffic alone
One of the main challenges facing news organisations is the decoupling of audience understanding from direct website visits. Readers may consume accurate summaries of events without ever engaging with the reporting institution behind them.
“That reality requires honesty from publishers. Traffic alone is not a stable foundation for sustaining journalism”, Pragad said.
At Newsweek, this has led to an emphasis on revenue diversification, brand authority, and content formats that retain value even when summarised.
Content AI cannot commoditise
Pragad points to several forms of journalism that remain resistant to AI commoditisation:
- In-depth investigations
- Expert-led interviews and analysis
- Proprietary rankings and research
- Editorially-contextualised video journalism
“These formats anchor reporting to accountable institutions,” he said. “They carry identity and credibility in ways that cannot be flattened into anonymous data.”
Trust as editorial infrastructure
As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, trust has emerged as a defining competitive advantage for journalism.
“When misinformation spreads easily and AI text becomes harder to distinguish from verified reporting, trust becomes infrastructure,” Pragad said. “It determines whether audiences believe what they read.”
Editorial credibility is cumulative and fragile, he said. Once lost, it cannot be quickly rebuilt.
The case for publisher-AI collaboration
Rather than resisting AI outright, Pragad advocates for structured collaboration between publishers and technology platforms. That includes clearer attribution standards and fair compensation models when journalistic work is used to train or inform AI systems.
“Journalism underpins the quality of AI outputs. If reporting weakens, AI degrades with it.”
Leading Newsweek through industry transition
Since taking leadership in 2018, Pragad has overseen Newsweek’s expansion in digital formats, global platforms, and diversified revenue streams. That evolution required acknowledging that legacy distribution models would not survive intact. “The goal isn’t to preserve old systems, it’s to preserve journalism’s role in society.”
Redesigning, not resisting, the future of media
Pragad believes the publishers best positioned for the AI era will be those that emphasise editorial identity and adaptability over scale alone.
“This is not a moment for nostalgia, it’s a moment for redesign.”
As AI continues to reshape how information is accessed, Pragad argues that the enduring value of journalism lies in its ability to explain and hold power accountable, regardless of the interface delivering the news.
Author: Dev Pragad, CEO, Newsweek
