6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Silicon Valley Media Tech & AI Week Welcome Reception

Address:  Cavaña, 17th Floor Luma Hotel, 100 Channel Street, San Francisco

8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

Welcome and badge pick up

Join us at KQED, 2601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco. Pick up your badge at the welcome table and get ready for day 1.

8:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Welcome and introductions

Meet the moderators who will guide you through the two-day conference.

9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Understanding the real economics of AI

AI’s impact on media isn’t just about technology, it’s about economics. James Cham, Partner at Bloomberg Beta, will explore how AI is reshaping the long tail of value creation, why publisher content should be understood as intellectual property rather than just data, and how the rapid spread of open, low-cost AI models is shifting the balance of power. He’ll connect these forces to the choices facing media leaders today — and why understanding the real economics of AI may be the difference between protecting long-term value and giving it away.

James Cham

Partner, Bloomberg Beta

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Lessons from the outside: What news can learn from radical innovation

Disruption isn’t exclusive to the news industry. In this session, we step outside the media bubble to explore case studies from other sectors. What can publishers take away from radical approaches? From rethinking user experience to reinventing revenue streams, this session will challenge traditional thinking and inspire new possibilities for the future of news.

Karen Silverman

Co-founder and CEO, Cantellus Group

10:30 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.

Coffee and networking break

Stretch your legs and connect with colleagues old and new over coffee.

11:10 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.

What AI is really changing on your site

As AI reshapes how audiences search, discover, and interact with content, what’s actually happening on publishers’ Web sites? In this all-new presentation, the CEO of Chartbeat — the industry standard for real-time media analytics — will reveal exclusive, up-to-the-minute trends on how AI is impacting site behaviour. From shifting referral patterns via answer engines and changing engagement flows, to the rise of on-site chat and the role of video via Tubular insights, this session delivers a data-driven look at what’s really changing. This is a must-attend session for anyone looking to connect the dots between AI disruption and measurable audience behaviour.

John Saroff

CEO, Chartbeat

11:40 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Discovery upheaval: The changing face of search

Search is undergoing a fundamental transformation with the integration of AI. New interfaces, shifting user behaviours, and evolving expectations are reshaping how people discover information online. In this session, we’ll explore the major trends driving these changes and what they could mean for the future of search.

Danny Sullivan

Google Search Liaison, Google

12:10 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.

The future of search: How new entrants are challenging the status quo

As AI-powered search tools emerge some startups are rethinking how users discover and interact with information. With a focus on personalisation, conversational interfaces, and ad-free experiences, these disruptors are reshaping search beyond traditional engines. What does this mean for news publishers and digital media strategies? This session will explore how these new players are positioning themselves, their potential impact on referral traffic, and what media companies can do to adapt.

Angela Hoover

Co-founder and CEO, Andi Search

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Lunch

1:45 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

AI, Tech Platforms and news deals

As AI-driven search and discovery continue to evolve, major players are shaping the landscape in real-time. In this session, hear directly from the companies at the forefront of innovation as they share their vision, challenges, and what’s next for AI-powered search. Our moderator will set the scene with key insights from industry learnings before diving into a series of in-depth interviews with AP which has been at the forefront of licensing deals, as well as Perplexity and OpenAI who are leading voices driving change. Expect candid discussions on technology, trust, and the implications for news publishers.

Sara Trohanis

Head of Strategic Partnerships, AP

Jessica Chan

Head of Publisher Partnerships, Perplexity

Christina Lim

Partner Manager, Media Partnerships, OpenAI

3:20 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Coffee and networking

Network with colleagues and get caffeinated for the afternoon.

3:50 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Does social still work for news?

Social media isn’t dead — but it has changed. While platforms no longer drive the traffic they once did, social still plays a critical role in audience discovery, brand building, and engagement. This session unpacks the latest trends in social referral traffic, explores how some publishers are redefining social as the new top of funnel, and offers actionable strategies to maximise impact across both legacy and emerging platforms. From content formats to algorithms, find out what’s working now — and what to leave behind.

Benedict Nicholson

Head of Research, Newswhip

4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Tech benchmark survey findings: Where does the industry stand?

Unveiling the latest results from INMA’s technology benchmark survey, this session will provide key insights into how news organizations are adopting and integrating AI, automation, and emerging technologies.

Jodie Hopperton

Product & Tech Initiative Lead

5:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Closing thoughts

Jodie Hopperton will share her takeaways from day one.

Jodie Hopperton

Product & Tech Initiative Lead

5:15 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Cocktails and canapes on the roof

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Keynote: Rethinking news in an AI world – The Washington Post’s place in the ecosystem

With AI reshaping the digital landscape, where does a legacy news brand fit alongside big tech? As The Washington Post embraces an AI-first future, CTO Vineet Khosla — who brings deep experience from the worlds of both media and Silicon Valley — shares his perspective on how publishers must position themselves in an ecosystem dominated by tech giants. From competing with and collaborating with AI-driven platforms to ensuring journalism remains essential in an algorithmic world, this keynote will explore the strategic choices that will define the next era of news.

Vineet Khosla

CTO, The Washington Post

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Data as the fuel for AI: From infrastructure to intelligence

AI can only be as strong as the data that fuels it, but building the right foundations takes more than storage and scale. It requires clear strategy, sound infrastructure, and human expertise at every stage. In this session, Ingrid Verschuren, EVP of Data Intelligence and AI Governance at Dow Jones, will share lessons from one of the industry’s most respected data operations. She will outline practical frameworks for data preparedness, from governance to long-term strategy, and show how publishers can turn raw information into a trusted competitive edge.

Ingrid Verschuren

EVP of Data Intelligence and AI Governance, Dow Jones

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

The future of audio AI for media

In this session, the — a leading audio tech company specialising in media — will explore how audio AI is rapidly evolving beyond basic text-to-speech. We’ll look at the future of conversational AI, the rise of multi-modal content, and what publishers need to know about voice branding in an AI-driven world. The session will also address discovery and distribution challenges, and how audio integrates with emerging platforms shaping the future of media.

Patrick O'Flaherty

CEO and Co-Founder of Beyond Words

James MacLeod

COO and Co-Founder of Beyond Words

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Coffee and networking break

Take a quick break, get caffeinated, and get ready for the second half of the morning.

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

The AI shift: From text to voice, video, and more

AI is accelerating the evolution of content formats, moving beyond text to voice, video, and multimodal experiences. What does this mean for audience engagement, journalism, and the future of storytelling? This session will explore how AI is reshaping content creation and distribution—and what media companies need to do to keep up.

Adam Mosam

CEO and Founder Channel1

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Agentic AI for distribution and monetisation

Agentic AI - AI systems that can operate autonomously - has the potential to transform news distribution, personalisation and payments. In this session we’ll lay the groundwork for the opportunities and risks ahead.

• Agentic AI 101 and relevance for news
• How agents can, and will, interact with online content
• How financial infrastructure can power agentic commerce
• Practical applications, early experiments and media use cases
• Discussion and Q&A

Toshit Panigrahi

CEO and Co-founder Tollbit

Raphael Daste

Global Head of Media, Entertainment, Gaming, and Sports GTM, Stripe

Cosmin Ene

Founder, Supertab

12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Lunch

Optional Session: AI collaboration at scale: How news orgs are building smarter, together

As AI reshapes the news industry, how can local publishers move fast, avoid duplicating effort, and still stay true to their mission? This interactive lunch session brings together publishers and AI Fellows from the Lenfest AI Collaborative & Fellowship Program, an initiative in partnership with Microsoft and OpenAI that provides funding, software credits, and technical support to 10 major U.S. news organisations. Expect candid insights from the front lines: how participants built a shared roadmap for AI experimentation, divided work across organisations to tackle different problem sets, and rapidly moved from proof-of-concept to newsroom-scale tools — some already in use and available to others. Panelists will share what surprised them, frameworks for collaboration, and open-source solutions being developed to support the broader news industry. Whether you’re looking to operationalise AI or just getting started, you’ll walk away with concrete ideas, frameworks, and tools you can adapt in your own newsroom.

David Chivers

Lead Advisor for The Lenfest AI Collaborative & Fellowship Program

Kati Erwert

Senior Vice President, The Seattle Times

Shira Center

Vice President, Boston Globe Media

Chris Patheiger

Chief Product & Innovation Officer, The Dallas Morning News

Matt Boggie

Chief Product & Technology Officer, The Philadelphia Inquirer

1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

The value of content: What is it worth in an AI-powered world?

As AI-driven platforms increasingly repurpose, remix, and surface news content, how do publishers ensure they are recognised and compensated? This session brings together industry leaders to explore the shifting economics of content value, with perspectives from those on the frontline of AI, search, and content monetisation.

Ahmed Malik

Co-founder and CEO, Scalepost

Annelies Jansen

Chief Strategy Officer, Prorata

Evangeline McDermott

Managing Director, Taboola

2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Org structure of the future: New skills, new roles, and what’s at risk

AI isn’t just changing how news is produced; it’s redefining roles, skill sets, and job structures across the entire organisation. What positions are emerging? Which ones are under threat? And which skill sets should we be building up? This session will examine the evolving talent landscape and how organisations can future-proof their teams for the AI era.

Katharina Neubert

SVP Strategy and Investments, Holtzbrinck

2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Cybersecurity in the age of AI: Risks, governance, and realities

With AI comes new cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This session will demonstrate just how easily things can go wrong — from deepfake manipulation to phishing attacks — and offer a roadmap for risk mitigation, governance, and crisis management from those who have been through it.

Will Allen

VP Product, Cloudflare

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Coffee and networking break

Fuel up and connect with colleagues before the last sessions of the afternoon.

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

AI as a global issue: Regulation, manipulation, and the road ahead

From regulatory battles to election integrity, AI’s global impact extends far beyond newsrooms. This session tackles the most pressing global AI challenges — from algorithmic manipulation to governance — examining what’s at stake for media, democracy, and public trust. The real question is: can governance and innovation happen hand-in-hand?

Audrey Duet

Head, Data and AI Innovation, World Economic Forum

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Doing more with less: AI’s role in newsroom efficiency

With shrinking resources and growing demands, news organisations are turning to AI to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and optimise operations. This session will explore how AI tools are reshaping business efficiencies, from content creation to ad targeting to audience engagement.

Jeff Moriarty

Chief Product Officer, Nexstar Digital

Ben Gerst

Co-Founder, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Nota

4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Conference conclusions and wrap up

Jodie Hopperton closes the day with reflections, key insights, and a look at what’s next in AI and news media.

Jodie Hopperton

Product & Tech Initiative Lead