5 strategic insights from the Nordic AI in Media Summit (NAMS 2025)

Last week in Copenhagen, senior news media executives and AI practitioners gathered for the Nordic AI in Media Summit (NAMS 2025) to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming news publishing. The two-day event featured forward-thinking case studies from leading Nordic publishers and thought leaders, highlighting both practical newsroom innovations and big-picture strategies. From automating reporting workflows to reimagining the future of news delivery, speakers shared candid insights on aligning AI with editorial values and business goals. This executive summary distills five key strategic insights from the summit – actionable takeaways for media leaders navigating the impact of AI on journalism and product development.

Despite the recent hype around generative AI, a clear theme emerged: Nordic publishers have moved beyond experimentation and into implementation. They are focused on real-world impact – leveraging AI at scale to boost efficiency, deepen reader engagement, and even rethink what a news product can be. As one speaker noted, change won’t come overnight; it requires cultural shifts and upskilling in our organizations​. But the momentum is undeniable. Here are five lessons from Copenhagen’s AI summit to help guide your strategy:

1. Break down content silos with AI for “one-stop” news products

Cecilia Schramm, Head of Editorial Development at Bonnier News Business (Sweden), highlighted how AI can unify content across a publisher’s portfolio to deliver greater value to readers. In her session “One product, all the insight – leveraging content with AI,” Schramm shared Bonnier’s strategy to use AI as a bridge between siloed news products​. By integrating content and data from multiple brands into a single offering, Bonnier can provide business readers with a one-stop, comprehensive news experience rather than separate fragmented services. For example, AI-driven content recommendations and smart tagging enable insights from one publication (such as an industry-specific piece) to enrich the user experience in another, creating a richer, more personalized product for subscribers.

The strategic takeaway is that AI can unlock new synergies in your content ecosystem. Media executives should evaluate where their organization produces overlapping or complementary content and consider using AI to repurpose, combine, or personalize this material in innovative ways. Bonnier’s approach shows that by breaking down internal silos, publishers can increase engagement and loyalty – delivering “all the insight” a reader needs under one umbrella. The lesson: think beyond individual channels or titles, and leverage AI to assemble the full value of your journalism in a unified product. This not only maximizes audience value but can open up new subscription or revenue models based on breadth and depth of insight.

2. Automate Routine Newsgathering and Redefine Journalists’ Roles

Erja Yläjärvi, Senior Editor-in-Chief at Helsingin Sanomat (Finland), demonstrated how automating parts of the reporting process can free journalists for higher-value work. In a talk aptly titled “Automating Newsgathering,” Yläjärvi described her newsroom’s internal AI tool called “Watchdog” that monitors vast information sources for news leads. This system can scan documents, public records, and data feeds at a scale no human reporter could, flagging potential stories and insights. By leveraging AI as an always-on assistant, Helsingin Sanomat is accelerating investigative research and ensuring important signals aren’t missed. The key is that reporters are then empowered to focus on what humans do best – validating facts, adding context, and crafting compelling narratives – rather than spending hours on tedious fact-finding.

Yläjärvi’s perspective is that these tools will fundamentally shift newsroom roles. “Writing is not a core skill for most journalists in the very near future. These AI tools already show us we have to be thinking about what our core skills are,” she noted, underscoring how quickly change is coming. For media leaders, the lesson is twofold: proactively automate the repetitive aspects of journalism and begin redefining team structures and skills accordingly. Routine tasks – from transcribing interviews to scanning earnings reports – can increasingly be offloaded to AI. This enables journalists to concentrate on analysis, investigative reporting, and engaging with sources and audiences. By embracing automation in newsgathering, newsrooms can boost productivity and reclaim journalists’ time for creativity and critical thinking – a strategic win for quality journalism in the AI era.

3. Look beyond the article: Embrace new storytelling formats

Futurist Sofie Hvitved of the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies urged news publishers to expand their definition of content, as AI unlocks novel storytelling formats and experiences. One recurring theme at the summit was the need to “look beyond the traditional article” as the unit of journalism. Hvitved painted a picture of a near-future where audiences may engage with news through AI-driven conversational agents, personalized briefings, or immersive media – not just text-based articles. In a world of ubiquitous AI assistants and smart devices, tomorrow’s consumers might ask their news app for a quick update on local politics, receive an AI-curated audio summary, or interact with a dynamically generated explainer that answers their follow-up questions. Simply put, storytelling is poised to become more interactive and tailored.

For media executives, the actionable insight is to start experimenting with AI-enabled formats now. Consider deploying chatbots that can deliver news via messaging platforms, using text-to-speech to offer hands-free news consumption, or visualizing data with AI-generated graphics. Some Nordic news organizations are already prototyping such uses. These experiments help publishers meet audiences where they are headed and learn what resonates. The summit’s futurist view is that clinging to a text-article-only mindset could become a competitive disadvantage. Instead, embrace a product mindset that treats news as an experience. By leveraging AI to diversify how stories are told – whether through voice, interactive Q&As, or personalized feeds – publishers can increase engagement and deepen their relationship with a generation of readers who expect content on their own terms.

4. Plan for platform shifts and “European Alternatives”

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, a professor at Oxford and Copenhagen University, delivered a blunt reminder that the future of news distribution may not lie with the usual Big Tech platforms. In his closing keynote “What could ‘European alternatives’ mean?” Nielsen challenged the industry to envision new digital platforms that serve journalism’s interests. He outlined three potential models for a future where Europe’s media isn’t entirely dependent on Silicon Valley gatekeepers. For example, one idea is a “national or European champion” platform – akin to an Airbus for the internet – where publishers collaborate (perhaps with state support) on shared technology infrastructure​. Another model is investing in public-service oriented platforms, essentially digital spaces governed like public broadcasters or cooperatives rather than for-profit tech companies​. A third avenue is embracing decentralized networks (think open-source and federated systems like Mastodon) as alternatives to corporate social media. Each model comes with tough questions around purpose, funding, and governance, but they all seek to realign technology with democratic values​.

The strategic lesson for media leaders is to prepare for profound platform shifts – and even be proactive in shaping them. The distribution channels that journalism has relied on (Facebook, Google, etc.) are in flux, especially as generative AI changes how information is searched and aggregated. Forward-looking publishers should engage in industry-wide dialogues and alliances to ensure journalistic content isn’t sidelined in the next paradigm. That could mean collaborating on new platforms or supporting regulations and initiatives that promote a healthier digital ecosystem. Nielsen’s message is ultimately about agency: rather than adapting on Big Tech’s terms, consider how you might build or support alternatives that put editorial integrity and local control first. European media, in particular, have an opportunity to innovate here – turning a strategic lens on where audiences will get their news in five or ten years, and working now to secure their place in that future landscape.

5. Make “AI beyond the hype” part of your strategy and culture

Ezra Eeman, Strategy & Innovation Director at NPO (Netherlands Public Broadcasting), provided a reality check on integrating AI into media products and workflows. His keynote, “The New Media Reality – AI Beyond the Hype,” stressed that successful adoption of AI requires moving past novelty and embedding it into the core strategy of the organization. Eeman emphasized that we are now in a phase where AI’s real impact matters more than inflated expectations – what he called a shift from the hype to the new normal. For media executives, this means it’s time to ensure AI initiatives are aligned with clear business and editorial objectives. Every AI project should answer a strategic need: whether it’s improving audience personalization, increasing content productivity, or enhancing public value. At NPO, for instance, Eeman’s team focuses on use cases that support their public service mission, from AI tools that help editors sift archives for relevant context, to personalization features that serve diverse audiences better. These efforts are not just tech experiments; they are tied to NPO’s wider goals of making content more accessible and engaging to all Dutch citizens.

Crucially, “AI beyond the hype” also entails nurturing an internal culture that is both innovative and responsible. Eeman and other speakers noted that adopting AI at scale involves retraining staff, updating workflows, and establishing guidelines so that human judgment remains front and center. The underlying lesson is to treat AI as a transformative capability – much like going digital or mobile a decade ago – that warrants C-suite attention and cross-department coordination. Media leaders should champion a coherent AI strategy, invest in skills development, and set metrics for success (e.g. efficiency gains, subscriber retention uplifts) to track AI’s contribution to the business. By demystifying AI and folding it into the company’s vision, executives can ensure their organization rides this wave with purpose. In short, make AI an integral part of “how we do things,” not a flashy side project – that’s how you turn hype into real ROI and journalistic value.

Conclusion

The Nordics AI in Media Summit in Copenhagen offered a masterclass in how news organizations can thrive amid AI-driven change. These five lessons – from unifying content silos and automating grunt work, to rethinking storytelling formats, platforms, and internal strategy – form a roadmap for any newsroom leader confronting the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence. The path ahead will require continuous learning and adaptation. As AI technologies evolve, so must our approaches to product development, talent management, and collaboration across the industry.

The encouraging news is that a community is emerging to share knowledge on this journey​. Nordic media pioneers are openly discussing what works and what doesn’t, helping to move the conversation from abstract ethics to concrete execution. Going forward, media executives should continue this dialogue – across borders and company lines – to ensure journalism not only keeps up with technological change but actively shapes it. The message from Copenhagen was clear: by being proactive and strategic, we can harness AI to strengthen journalism’s mission and sustainability. Twipe invites all innovators and leaders in the media community to join in this conversation. Together, let’s navigate the AI revolution in news, keeping our eyes on the ultimate goal: quality journalism that endures and excels in the digital age.