2026 – The Year AI Upends News

For over a decade, newspapers, TV news channels, and other mainstream media houses have been in steady decline. The year 2025 saw the increasing presence of AI in the industry and a consequent plummeting of web traffic to news websites.

So, what does 2026 have in store for the news industry?

I believe AI will continue to be a villain for mainstream media, while becoming a hero—at least for some niche publications.

For these focused and specialized small media houses, AI could help them become 10× more important to their readership and communities. They could transform from being mere providers of news in their areas of specialization into the primary source of important and actionable information for their discerning readers.

All of this can happen without them having to worry (too much) about technology or divert attention away from their core strengths.

AI can make that happen. [In fact, it is already happening]

If you are a niche publication, reach out to me, and we can discuss what might be in the realm of possibility for you and your publication.