Media’s last advantage in AI era Is brand Identity — INMA Boss

The Chief Executive Officer of the International News Media Association (INMA), Earl Wilkinson, has said that news organisations can survive the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by building strong identities, earning public trust, and maintaining close relationships with their audiences.

Wilkinson spoke during a visit to PUNCH Place in Lagos, where he discussed how AI is changing journalism, news consumption, and media business models. He was accompanied by INMA’s Africa Division Manager, Doreen Mbaya.
According to him, media organisations should focus less on chasing traffic and more on developing strong brands that people can recognise and trust.

“It is now about relationships. To build relationships, you need a brand that people remember. You must be consistent and create an emotional connection with your audience. The future belongs to organisations that clearly know who they are,” he said.

Wilkinson noted that digital subscriptions and paywalls may become more important in Nigeria as media companies look for new ways to generate revenue. However, he admitted that many Nigerians may still be reluctant to pay for news.

He urged publishers to invest in technology and data systems that help them better understand their audiences and their interests.

He also warned that many media organisations risk becoming too similar because they use the same AI tools and content-generation systems.

“AI is rising, and we are sinking into a swamp of sameness. News organisations must find ways to stand out through original reporting, unique voices, and strong identities,” he said.

Wilkinson explained that AI is rapidly changing the media industry and forcing news organisations to rethink their business strategies.

He pointed out that traditional advantages enjoyed by newspapers have largely disappeared.

“Google took much of our advertising revenue. Anyone with a smartphone can publish content, and audience attention is more fragmented than ever,” he said.
He added that the lines between newspapers, television, radio, and digital media are disappearing as all media platforms now compete for the same audience.

“We are all moving into a world where content is delivered through text, video, and audio,” he said.

Despite AI’s capabilities, Wilkinson stressed that technology cannot replace journalists who gather information firsthand, build sources, and apply professional judgment.
“Someone has to go out, witness events, and report what they see. AI cannot do that,” he said.

Wilkinson revealed that human-created content is declining rapidly online. According to him, about 95 percent of internet content was written by humans in 2010. By 2026, that figure had dropped to 26 percent.

He predicted that by 2036, only 0.3 percent of online content would be written by humans.
Because of this trend, he believes verified human journalism will become more valuable.

“In the future, audiences may not only ask whether a story is true; they may also ask who created it and whether it was written by a human being,” he said.
He predicted that media organisations capable of proving their content was produced by real journalists would gain a competitive advantage.

“Verified human journalism will become a premium product,” Wilkinson said.
He added that the most valuable assets in journalism over the next decade will be verified human authorship, firsthand reporting, original journalism, trusted sources, and editorial judgment.
While acknowledging the challenges posed by AI, Wilkinson said the technology also presents significant opportunities.

“I see more advantages than disadvantages in AI. It can do many things that humans simply cannot do,” he said.

However, he maintained that trust, editorial judgment, and strong brand identity will remain the key factors determining the success of media organisations.

“I believe brand identity is the last major advantage news organisations will have in the AI era. No platform, AI tool, or competitor can replace it if you invest in knowing who you are,” he said.

Reviewing Nigerian newspaper front pages, Wilkinson described them as loud, crowded, highly political, and sometimes sensational. However, he noted that similar trends exist in countries such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil, and the Philippines.

He encouraged Nigerian media organisations to embrace change and adapt to evolving forms of journalism.
Wilkinson also observed that many African media organisations depend heavily on government advertising and may struggle during periods of political instability.

Looking ahead, he predicted that some newspapers may reduce their print publication schedules from daily editions to a few times a week as the industry continues to evolve.

Source: Punch