The Journalism, Media and Technology Trends and Predictions 2026 report from the Reuters Institute finds news publishers preparing for major disruption driven by generative AI and changes in how audiences find information.
A survey of 280 media leaders in 51 countries shows only about 38% are confident in the future of journalism broadly, down sharply from previous years, though over half feel optimistic about their own businesses. Publishers expect search engine traffic to fall by more than 40% over the next three years, and Google referrals have already dropped about 33% globally and 38% in the U.S. as AI answer engines and chatbot summaries reduce clicks.
In response, many plan to shift from traditional search optimization toward original reporting, human-centered analysis, video and social platforms, and strategies that treat journalists as creators. Trends like answer engine optimization and “liquid content” are predicted to be key in 2026.
