How to win when everyone has the same AI

At a recent panel event on AI’s impact on journalism and communications — organised by the International Building Press (IBP) and chaired by AI technologist Andrew Bruce Smith - we heard from three seasoned media professionals.
Paul Bradshaw, from BBC Shared Unit, also leads Birmingham City University's MA in Data Journalism. Sophia Smith Galer is a national journalist, author, and creator of her own AI tool, Sophina. Kenny Campbell, a former Metro Editor, brings over two decades of experience in journalism and a decade in PR.
One truth emerged that cut through all the noise: the real value of AI isn't in delivering answers — it's in helping us discover the right questions to ask.
Traditional newsrooms are now struggling with declining revenue and disengaged audiences. As old models evolve, rebuilding trust may not come from simply producing more content but from reigniting curiosity and fostering meaningful connections with readers.
For instance, the New York Times has pivoted beyond news into games and cooking apps, diversifying revenue while reaching audiences in unexpected ways. Sophia Smith Galer transforms dense text stories into vertical TikTok videos that engage younger audiences, a successful illustration of how adapting original content can reach new audiences on popular platforms.
Here's the catch with AI-generated content: it doesn't invent, it remixes. When every bot draws from the similar online data, the result is what one panellist called "AI slop", a flood of repetitive, bland content that adds nothing new to the conversation.
Our panellists argued that large language models (LLMs) will soon run out of fresh training data and hit a wall, but that this plays to our advantage. AI can't replace human stories or do on-the-ground reporting. It can't capture the nuance of lived experience or the spark of genuine insight. While algorithms churn out predictable content, originality becomes the ultimate differentiator.
A tough question from the audience cut to the heart of it: what if the public doesn't care whether content is AI-made or human-crafted? What if they're already abandoning traditional news for creators who feel authentic, even when the facts are fuzzy? This reveals that a key problem is not apathy; it's overload and disillusionment.
Meanwhile, on the global stage, AI is becoming a political battleground. The Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which emphasises deregulation and ideological control, highlights how governments are racing to shape the future of AI, not just as a tool, but as a symbol of national identity and power. But while policymakers debate control, the real challenge for communicators and journalists remains the same: how to use AI ethically, creatively, and meaningfully in a world flooded with content.
Ultimately, people crave connection and truth but struggle to find either in the avalanche of content competing for their attention. Kenny illustrated this perfectly with data from the Liverpool Parade Crash, where the most popular search term was “Liverpool Crash Echo” because audiences specifically sought coverage from the Liverpool Echo - a reliable, trusted, and local source.
The relationship between brands and media is also evolving. With platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn, many organisations now speak directly to their audiences, bypassing traditional media channels altogether. For communications professionals, this shift demands more than just pitching stories. As one panellist suggested, communicators now need to act as strategists and ethical navigators, helping brands find meaningful, trustworthy ways to connect in a noisy, fragmented landscape.
In a world where everyone has a megaphone, trust becomes the ultimate currency. And here's the crucial reality check: AI won't replace us but will reveal who we really are. Those who see it as a shortcut to avoid thinking will become irrelevant. Those who use it as a tool to think better will become indispensable.
The future belongs to the perpetually curious, the question-askers, the connection-makers. The ones who understand that in a world overflowing with answers, the real value lies in knowing what to ask next. Because when everyone has access to the same information, the differentiator isn't what you know, it's what you're curious about.