Reuters at ONA26: AI, Leadership, and the Future of Journalism

World News Express: Satellite Delivery

Integrate Reuters Video and Live Video into your broadcast workflows flows via satellite with simplicity and ease

API & Integrations: Streamline your workflows

Streamline your workflow and cut costs by integrating all multimedia from Reuters directly into your CMS

World News Express: Satellite Delivery

Integrate Reuters Video and Live Video into your broadcast workflows flows via satellite with simplicity and ease

Reuters at ONA26: AI Leadership, Audience Engagement, and the Future of News

Reuters were part of key discussions at ONA26 in Chicago, contributing to panel sessions on topics including artificial intelligence and the role of creators in today’s news ecosystem. Across three panels, Reuters editorial, technology and product leaders shared practical insights drawn from real newsroom experience, offering perspectives relevant to publishers, broadcasters and platforms navigating an increasingly complex media landscape.

Beyond the conference programme, the team also connected with attendees at the Reuters booth, continuing conversations with journalists and newsroom leaders from across the industry.

Making AI Real in a Global Newsroom

In an all‑Reuters panel titled Making AI Real: What Leaders Need to Know Before Scaling, Jonathan Leff, Global Editor, Newsroom AI and Finance, Arlyn Gajilan, Global Editor, AI Development and Integration, Paul J. Cifarelli, VP, LSEG and Editorial Tools, and Andy Sullivan, Acting Deputy Editor for Politics and Foreign Policy, discussed how AI is being implemented across Reuters’ 2,600‑journalist newsroom.

The discussion focused on what it takes to move from experimentation to real, newsroom‑wide impact. Panelists outlined how Reuters integrates AI directly into daily workflows while maintaining clear editorial accountability, strong governance, and alignment with the Reuters Trust Principles. AI was positioned as a capability that supports journalists in working faster and more efficiently, while preserving the standards of accuracy, independence, and transparency that clients and audiences expect.

AI Leadership and Newsroom Change

Jonathan Leff, Global Editor, Newsroom AI and Finance at Reuters, also joined a cross‑industry panel titled AI and Leadership: Practical Takeaways on the Ups and Downs of Navigating Change, alongside Tess Jeffers, Head of Newsroom AI and Data at The Wall Street Journal, Ryan Struyk, Director of AI Innovation at CNN, and Giovanny Vega, Director of Innovation and AI at El Vocero de Puerto Rico.

The conversation focused on the leadership realities of integrating AI into newsrooms and guiding that change responsibly. Panelists shared practical lessons on prioritizing AI initiatives, managing cultural resistance, and deciding when to scale projects or shut them down.

A consistent theme was that successful AI adoption depends less on the technology itself and more on leadership clarity, cross‑functional collaboration, and trust with journalists. Transparency, editorial involvement, and clear ownership were highlighted as essential for navigating change effectively.

Creator Strategies in the Newsroom and the Future of Audience Engagement

In a third panel titled Finding the “We”: Why and How to Integrate News Creator Strategies into Your Newsroom, Kate Skelly, Digital News Producer at Reuters, joined Jeremy D. Gilbert, Knight Professor in Digital Media Strategy at Northwestern Medill, Ryan Y. Kellett, Co‑founder of The Independent Journalism Atlas, and Liz Kelly Nelson, Founder of Project C, to explore how creator strategies are influencing how audiences discover and engage with news.

The discussion examined how younger audiences increasingly encounter news through social and video platforms, often via individual creators rather than institutional brands. Panelists discussed what trusted news organizations can learn from creator‑led approaches, including the importance of conversational formats, transparency, and platform‑native storytelling, while reinforcing the continued role of institutions like Reuters in verification, depth, and accountability.

Conversations Beyond the Stage

The Reuters team were grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many journalists, editors, technologists, and media leaders at our exhibit booth throughout the conference.

The conversations were thoughtful, candid, and energizing, spanning AI adoption, newsroom workflows, audience engagement, and the shared challenges and opportunities facing the industry. We appreciated the chance to exchange ideas, hear directly from peers, and continue building relationships across the newsroom community.

If you didn’t have a chance to connect with the team, or if you’d like to continue the conversation, please reach out to us at NewsAgency@ThomsonReuters.com. We would welcome the opportunity to follow up.