Over the past few weeks, I attended three AI-focused events in London.

While they couldn’t have been more different, both left me with plenty to reflect on. One was at Bloomberg’s EMEA HQ—sleek, polished, and focused on how AI transforms design.

The other, hosted at Reuters, was focused on AI in journalism, tackling everything from ethics to economics.

Also my talk at the Annual Publishing Conference 2024.

Here’s what stood out and why it matters.

Designing with AI at Bloomberg

Bloomberg’s “Redefining Design with AI” event could have been just another demo.

Greg walked us through a step-by-step process, starting with a ChatGPT prompt to generate branding guidelines and feeding those into tools like MidJourney, Relume, or Runway to create additional materials. It was sleek and efficient—but honestly, not much I hadn’t seen before.

But Greg’s storytelling?

That was something else. He weaves concepts together and shows how AI can boost the speed of production and how using AI also prompts us to be more human than ever.

That stuck with me, especially as I’ve been reflecting on the role of storytelling in my own work.

AI doesn’t replace storytelling—it lets you explore multiple storylines faster.

AI Is a Flashlight That Illuminates Paths, but It Is You Who Decides Where to Go.

AI is like a flashlight in the dark.

AI throws endless ideas your way—but most of them are junk.

When I was working on “AI Code Assistants Boost Productivity? Read the Small Print,” AI pulled out data from research papers, but it couldn’t spot what was missing or what didn’t add up.

It’s your job to sift through the noise, challenge the claims, and figure out what’s real. That’s where intuition comes in.

Many can use tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and Copilot—which are incredible at generating ideas, concepts, and visuals in record time.

But the real value comes when you know how to use them to tell a story.

How to Work Better Side-by-Side with AI

AI is a tool that helps you explore a dark forest. It lights up dozens of trails but won’t tell you which one to take. That’s on you—your instincts, curiosity, and courage to explore.

* AI’s IQ x Your EQ

AI can spit out facts but can’t bring a story to life. That’s why I reached out to the authors of those research papers. Talking to them added layers AI couldn’t touch—emotional depth, context, and the human side of the story.

AI lays the foundation, but your curiosity and connections make it meaningful.

* What AI Won’t Do for You

AI doesn’t care about hype or digging deeper—it’ll give you whatever you ask for, good or bad. It’s up to you to ask the tough questions, connect the dots, and find the story's soul.

That’s how you turn a pile of AI-generated ideas into something that truly resonates.

AI is the tool, not the storyteller. Without your vision, it’s just noise.

Greg said it best:

AI makes me think about humans more than before.

The Reuters Event: When AI Meets Journalism

Walking into the Reuters building in Canary Wharf, I was ready for big ideas.

The agenda promised a strategy workshop to help revive the news industry—ambitious. But instead of groundbreaking strategies, it felt like a brainstorming session with no real anchor.

I was disappointed, but a few moments were worth sharing.

“On-Demand News” Is the Buzzword

Imagine news like a playlist. It’s curated for your mood, served up when you want it, and available on whatever device you’re using.

That’s the vision for “on-demand” or adaptive news. It’s about delivering real-time updates across platforms and tailored to your habits.

Apps like Particle are already shaping news to fit seamlessly into your life.

* What’s the Value of News in an AI Era?

With free information everywhere, what’s worth paying for? Is it verified facts? A trusted voice? Exclusive stories? News outlets are asking themselves this, and so should we.

AI-generated fluff could drown out the truth if we don't support quality journalism.

It’s not about paying for content; it’s about investing in credibility.

* Who Controls the Narrative?

Big tech companies already shape how we consume news—think of how Google, Meta, or X prioritize stories for you. Now, add AI tycoons like OpenAI and Anthropic to the mix.

Reuters shared their approach: work with platforms like Meta to stay discoverable. It’s pragmatic but imperfect—after contracts are signed, the relationship often stops at “data extraction.”

My questions: Could news outlets working with AI companies improve transparency and collaboration? Or maybe the AI giants simply don’t care enough to have a deeper and more meaningful relationship with the news outlets?

* Fact-Checking in the AI Era

Someone raised a critical question during a panel: How can readers trust that news isn’t AI-generated? The idea of a “fact-check chain” came up—a visible trail showing how facts are verified. It’s like the nutritional label of journalism, making invisible processes visible.

I haven’t seen this anywhere (message me if you have), and implementing this idea will only become harder than ever.

Journalism’s Fight to Stay Relevant

The biggest challenge isn’t AI itself—it’s how we choose to use it.

When exploiters misuse AI, they erode the trust and value of traditional journalism. Traditional journalism can only stay relevant by meeting people where they are and providing information that feels personal, easy to digest, and real.

My Talk@The Annual Publishing Conference 2024

This talk was exciting for me, tying together everything I’ve been exploring about AI adoption.

The talk was based on my article “AI Adoption Trends 2024,” but it went deeper into the data, uncovering insights I’d missed the first time around.

Here’s what I shared:

* Adoption isn’t universal; it’s uneven. I highlighted how AI adoption isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Some embrace it faster, while others lag due to cost, education, income, or skill gaps.

* The hype vs. the grind. I highlighted the gap between AI's glossy promises and the messy, practical realities individuals face when implementing it.

I enjoyed delivering this talk.

It wasn’t the data but the questions asked and the conversations after the event. It was a room of tech leaders in scientific and engineering publications; we continued discussing the concepts mentioned.

Check out the shortened version here. It was a 25-minute talk, and the rest was a Q&A session. We almost continued chatting if the next speaker wasn't waiting.

What I’ve Learned About Writing for You (My “EQ”)

The past few weeks have been a learning curve, helping me see what makes this newsletter meaningful—not just for me, but for you.

Here's what I can offer you that others cannot:

What I’m Not

* Not a trend chaser. I’ve learned that covering every flashy AI update just adds to the noise. That’s not helpful to anyone.

* Not here for jargon. Overly technical breakdowns don’t resonate. What you need is clarity, not complexity.

What I Aim to Be for You

* A filter. I want to cut through the hype and focus on what truly impacts your world. If it’s not relevant or insightful, it doesn’t belong here.

* A bridge between information and your questions. I like to think about the practical implications of AI for you—whether you’re curious, skeptical, or trying to stay ahead.

* A human perspective. AI might generate ideas, but it can’t ask the tough questions or challenge assumptions. That’s where I step in.

The biggest one for me?

Writing isn’t just about sharing knowledge. It’s about listening, imagining your questions, and respecting your time by offering something useful in return.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts—what’s been on your mind about AI? And what have you learned recently?

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jwho.substack.com/subscribe