CANNES — If any news publisher knows the numbers behind AI effectiveness, it must be Dow Jones.
The company, which also owns The Wall Street Journal, covers the growing trend daily, and recently inked a big deal with OpenAI.
In this video interview with Beet.TV, Dow Jones CEO and Wall Street Journal publisher Almar Latour says the firm is embracing AI opportunity across editorial and advertising.
Advertiser Assurances
Growing reader demand is bringing in an audience of decision-makers across business and investing, as well as everyday consumers looking to manage their personal finances through uncertain times. That presents an attractive proposition for advertisers, Latour believes.
“Between the reliability and the audience, there’s a lot there for advertisers that should give them comfort that they’re speaking to people who really care,” he says.
Dow Jones also offers an ad tech tool called Safe Suite to help brands meet their brand safety objectives.
AI Ambitions
Latour says Dow Jones has a long history of working with AI, from automated headlines to algorithmic trading. Now, with the rise of generative AI, the company is focusing on three key areas:
- Securing intellectual property rights to ensure its information is not absorbed into AI models without financial or commercial consequences.
- Deploying AI tools internally to assist reporters with research and summarization, freeing up time for deeper, higher-quality reporting.
- Meeting customer demand with new AI-powered products. Dow Jones recently launched Integrity Check, which uses generative AI to help customers research business risks. More such products are on the horizon.
Experimentation and Best Practices
For publishers looking to experiment with AI, Latour advises first assessing the value of their information and ensuring they can secure it. “Don’t give it away and don’t give it away cheaply if you know that it’s worth more,” he says.
Down Jones owner News Corp struck a deal with OpenAI in May reported to be worth up to $250 million over five years – one of many partnerships OpenAI is inking while other firms launch copyright suits against the company.
Experimentation is key, both for internal workflows and new products, Latour says. Dow Jones has started with smaller, more focused areas to maintain control over the outputs.
Latour also stresses the importance of investing in proprietary data and distinctive journalism. “That will make a difference vis-a-vis learning models taking from a much broader data set,” he says.
