The future of journalism is personal: How The Journal is building AI for readers, not robots

As AI transforms the way news is created and consumed, The Wall Street Journal is reimagining storytelling around trust, personalization, and audience experience.This episode is sponsored by: Adobe AcrobatThis week on The Media Copilot, Pete Pachal sits down with Taneth Evans, Head of Digital at The Wall Street Journal, to explore how one of the world's leading news organizations is navigating the AI revolution.Rather than chasing every new AI trend, Evans shares how the Journal evaluates emerging technology through a simple lens: Does it genuinely help journalists do better work or help readers better understand the world?From AI-powered investigative tools and newsroom workflows to personalized storytelling and adaptive content, Evans offers a thoughtful look at how AI can strengthen journalism without compromising trust."So many times in the past few years, I've said to people, what would you do with a building full of journalists at your disposal? No newsroom feels like it has enough resources... How can we use AI to help us get closer to the answers to that question?" — Taneth EvansThe conversation explores why journalism is evolving beyond a single article format into flexible experiences tailored to how each reader prefers to consume information, while keeping facts, reporting, and editorial standards at the center.Sponsor:The new Adobe productivity agent orchestrates tools and models to generate images, text and rich content like presentations, podcasts and social posts, while also powering conversational PDF editing in Acrobat.With new PDF Spaces capabilities, users can combine files, links and notes into interactive, shareable spaces for research, collaboration and content creation. VICE News, Kid Cudi and celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss are already using these tools to build trust and deeper engagement with their audiences.Link: Do that with Acrobat: AI-Powered PDF workspaces | Adobe AcrobatWhat we cover• How The Wall Street Journal evaluates new AI technologies• Why audience needs come before AI innovation• The rise of personalized and adaptive journalism• AI tools transforming investigations and newsroom workflows• How AI can create entirely new reader experiences• Why trust, attribution, and media literacy matter more than ever• The future of publisher owned experiences in an AI driven world• Why great reporting becomes even more valuable in the age of AIAs AI changes how information is distributed, the challenge isn't simply adopting new technology. It's preserving trust while creating better ways for people to engage with journalism. Evans argues that the future belongs to news organizations that use AI to deepen their relationship with readers, not replace it.Why This MattersNews consumption is changing rapidly. Readers increasingly expect personalized, accessible experiences while publishers face growing competition from AI powered search, chatbots, and automated summaries. The organizations that succeed will be those that combine trusted reporting with innovative experiences that make journalism more useful, more engaging, and more relevant. This conversation offers an inside look at how one of the world's leading newsrooms is preparing for that future.About the 👤 GuestTaneth Evans Head of Digital, The Wall Street JournalLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taneth-evans-b35877162 The Wall Street Journal:https://www.wsj.comAbout the show: To explore more conversations like this and see what’s new, visit the Media Copilot website at mediacopilot.ai. You’ll find new episodes, expanded resources, and tools designed for journalists, communicators, and media leaders navigating the fast-changing world of AI. It’s the home base for everything Media Copilot and it’s just getting started.Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe to The Media Copilot on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app. On YouTube? Tap the Like button and Subscribe to the YouTube channel. For more AI tools and resources built for media professionals, visit mediacopilot.ai.Produced by Pete Pachal and Executive Producer Michele MussoEdited by the Musso Media Team Music: “Favorite” by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under CC BY 4.0All rights reserved. © AnyWho Media 2026