The Independent launches AI-powered news service bulletin

Service will leverage Google’s Gemini model

The Independent will launch AI news summaries at the end of this month

The Independent has announced the launch of a new AI-driven news service named Bulletin, which will utilise Google’s Gemini AI tools to summarise its journalism for readers with limited time.

The publisher stated that all content produced for Bulletin will undergo human oversight, with journalists reviewing and checking each article before publication. To support the initiative, The Independent has hired seven new staff members. The service is set to go live at the end of the month at bulletin.news and will initially be sponsored by WeAre8, a social media platform backed by former England footballer Rio Ferdinand. As part of the partnership, The Independent will also create exclusive content for WeAre8.

The AI-powered service will leverage Google’s Gemini model to rewrite The Independent’s own articles, working alongside the publisher’s in-house data and development teams. According to The Independent, summaries will be capped at 140 words and will cover content originally produced by its journalists or sourced from news agencies.

Christian Broughton, The Independent’s chief executive, emphasised that the integration of AI in the newsroom is being driven by journalists themselves. “We believe journalists should be the people to work out the best uses of AI in newsrooms. Our journalists wanted to ensure they are always in control of the process, so they worked through the workflows and tech implementation themselves, and they wanted to serve our audience’s desire for trusted, essential briefings.”

Broughton added that audience demand for concise news has increased due to busy schedules, making this a timely development. “That need has become more acute, whether from long working hours, busy family life, or all kinds of other reasons. Bulletin, as a concept, was first discussed a decade ago, and now it is possible by working with technology.”

“Whenever readers want to go deeper, they can click through to The Independent’s in-depth news, podcasts, newsletters and documentaries. Because we are efficient, we also have more time to go deeper into key subjects and to do more of what only our human team can do best.”

WeAre8, the platform sponsoring Bulletin, differentiates itself by sharing advertising revenue with users and allowing them to donate proceeds to charitable causes. Its chief executive, Zoe Kalar, highlighted the importance of rethinking news distribution in an AI-driven era. “In a world where the stories that matter are getting lost to algorithms, journalists are being trolled, people are scared to ask questions, and misinformation thrives – we are radically reinventing and reimagining news on social media.”