How AI-driven technologies are moving us from search to answer to action, why the rise of AI browsers will accelerate this shift in 2026, and what it means for journalism’s distribution and the urgent need to prioritise customer experience and direct, people-first relationships over chasing traffic.
Scope of the initiative
How fragmented distribution is reshaping reach
The future of owned experiences
The rise of agentic AI
Evolving product formats
Redefining relationships with AI players
2025 year-in-review Town Hall meeting of the Product & Tech Initiative
Ways to connect
Newsletter
Get bi-weekly Product & Tech Initiative newsletters in your inbox. Sign up here
Slack channel
A place to share experiences both privately and publicly. Sign up here
Video meet-ups and Webinars
Join product peers for practical members-only upcoming video meetups and on demand webinars
Master Classes
Link to the best product & tech minds, exchange ideas, at master classes focused on building customer-informed products and going beyond traditional news products. See schedule here
Ask Me Anything
For corporate members of INMA, connect your product and tech teams with Jodie Hopperton for private mentoring.
REPORTS
See our latest reports regarding product & tech. Click here to view all.
Webinars
The Referees Are Ruling: What AI’s Legal Reckoning Means for Media
October 07, 2026
Radical Collaboration: Building Shared Tools for the AI Era
September 02, 2026
AI for News Media: Everything You Need to Know in One Hour
July 22, 2026
Reuters Digital News Report 2026: How AI, Platforms, and Creators are Reshaping News Consumption
July 01, 2026
The Only Two Media Business Models That Work in 2026
May 27, 2026
As Foundation Models Scale, What Role Do Publishers Play in the AI Ecosystem?
April 08, 2026
Navigating the Next Phase of AI Content Licensing
January 14, 2026
ALL PRODUCT & TECH INITIATIVE WEBINARS ON DEMAND
Latest blog posts
What publishers learned with OpenAI about agentic AI and audience growth
October 27, 2026
5 questions from INMA’s time in Silicon Valley
October 27, 2026
What makes an AI choose your news brand?
October 14, 2026
Licensing won’t save media, but authentication might
October 13, 2026
What The New York Times AI copyright case means for the news industry
October 07, 2026
When the agent — not the app — becomes the interface
September 30, 2026
ALL PRODUCT & TECH INITIATIVE BLOGS
Recent presentations
The Referees Are Ruling: What AI’s Legal Reckoning Means for Media
07 October 2026 | INMA Webinar: The Referees Are Ruling: What AI’s Legal Reckoning Means for Media
Radical Collaboration: Building Shared Tools for the AI Era
02 September 2026 | INMA Webinar: Radical Collaboration: Building Shared Tools for the AI Era
AI for News Media: Everything You Need to Know in One Hour
22 July 2026 | INMA Webinar: AI for News Media: Everything You Need to Know in One Hour
Reuters Digital News Report 2026: How AI, Platforms, and Creators are Reshaping News Consumption
01 July 2026 |
The Only Two Media Business Models That Work in 2026
27 May 2026 | INMA Webinar: The Only Two Media Business Models That Work in 2026
ALL PRODUCT & TECH INITIATIVE PRESENTATIONS
Mission
How news media can harness technology to build standout products that delight customers and drive growth will be a central question in 2026. With consumer behaviour, reshaped by AI, moving rapidly from search to answer to action, the challenge will be to evaluate and evolve multimodal products across channels, strengthen direct customer relationships on owned platforms, and navigate the rise of AI players with clear strategies on permission, attribution, and monetisation.
Product & Tech Initiative lead
Jodie Hopperton is a British media executive based in Los Angeles. Jodie’s career spans over 15 years and multiple countries working with technology start-ups in addition to roles such as head of interactive at Trinity Mirror in the United Kingdom and director EMEA, syndication and licensing for The New York Times in Paris.
