Jim VandeHei: Rise of Super Journalists

The rise of AI superintelligence machines is expected to significantly impact traditional journalism, but a new breed of journalists, dubbed Super Journalists, will dominate the media landscape in the AI era. These journalists possess true domain expertise, top-notch sourcing, and historical depth, allowing them to provide unique insights and perspectives that machines cannot match. Super Journalists have a deep passion for their topic and establish an authentic human connection with their audience, built on trust and credibility. In the future, discerning news consumers will benefit from having access to both high-quality human expertise and quick, accurate summaries of daily news via AI. Axios, a media company, has been built with this vision in mind, hiring subject matter experts to provide in-depth coverage of various topics. Other media companies, such as Substack and Puck, are also adopting a similar approach. AI will change journalism dramatically, but it will not replace Super Journalists, who will become even more vital and valuable in providing authentic scoops, context, and nuance. Axios plans to use AI as a tool to facilitate research, data collection, and analysis, but not to write stories. The company believes that the combination of Super Journalists and AI will lead to "information nirvana" if executed correctly.