Astonishing results so far - and more to come

6000 hours. That's how much our journalists have saved on VG's artificial intelligence app JoJo. So far. In three months in 2023. 

-    Where they previously spent a ton of time printing out interviews, they can now upload the audio or video file and have it printed quickly and in high quality. And the time saved can be used to create more good journalism, said Schibsted EVP and Chief Technology and Data Officer Sven Størmer Thaulow, also chair at NorwAI on stage at “Medieleder” – the main yearly event for media executives in Norway in mid May 2023. 

This is one of many examples of how artificial intelligence is already affecting everyday life in media companies. Schibsted ASA have lots of experiments and programs going on right now to explore artificial intelligence. He listed several key initiatives and examples:

-    Our AI training program for employees with different content depending on the type of job.
-    Futures Lab, which has been experimenting with generative AI for several years and which inspires and helps our companies with innovations.
-    Aftenposten has prepared a voice clone of the journalist Anne Lindholm. In all articles you can now choose to listen instead of reading. 
-    In VG of Oslo and Aftonbladet of Stockholm, we have started experimenting with automated news summaries. This gives impatient readers a quick overview of the matter.

Sven Størmer Thaulow told his audience that we are now in the middle of a change of scene where the technology within artificial intelligence is making quantum leaps. It will affect how almost all companies operate - and lead to increased productivity, new products, new competitors and changed business models.

-    We know there are reasons for concern. There are many ethical challenges, including in the field of privacy and lack of transparency. For us in the media industry, there is a danger that agents, assistants and the like come between us as strong brands and our users. This can weaken loyalty to the individual brand, said Sven Størmer Thaulow, warning that these threats must be taken seriously. 

Nevertheless, the merging technology offers fantastic new opportunities for the media industry. To put it simply: There is gold strewn on the ground for those who are concerned with good journalism.

-    However, we have no time to lose. The most expensive thing will be to avoid to rock the boat, no matter how safe it may feel. We must invest in exploring artificial intelligence. And this is my most important message: As a media industry in a small language area, we have everything to gain by working together. We must not miss the boat on this now, urged the Schibsted head of technology, inviting his collogues to join an initiative to cooperate in building a national language model (see A national call for cooperation - Media to contribute to NorwAI’s LLM).