By Li Anxin
“AI allows you to think outside the box,” said Ezra Eeman of NPO Netherlands, summarising how a Dutch journalist used AI to restructure fragmented diaries into understandable historical narratives.
Winston Utomo of IDN furthered the notion, asking, “What if there is no box?” as he shared how his company transitioned into a thriving digital ecosystem, achieving a 45% yearly revenue increase.
At the Asian Media Leaders Summit, the speakers explored the vast potential of AI to redefine media operations and shared insights into how AI is reshaping content creation, audience engagement, and operational efficiency. However, speakers also highlighted the challenges that make this transformation a double-edged sword.
AI brings past to current audience by creative storytelling
For Ezra Eeman, AI opened new doors to creative storytelling. He described a project focused on JFK, where a Dutch journalist worked with diaries and voice fragments preserved by a family foundation.
Using machine learning to reconstruct existing information created a narrative that brought history to life, offering a fresh, immersive way to engage audiences with the past.
See also: Ezra Eeman to spearhead WAN-IFRA’s ‘AI in Media’ initiative
“Prioritise a smarter list of possible AI spaces by presenting objectives to AI in the beginning and make it clear to adopt what kind of framework to achieve quick wins,” Eeman said, showcasing how the technology can unlock once unattainable storytelling possibilities. Adopting AI to process information improves efficiency in content creation and audience engagement.
AI enables transformation from static archives into dynamic narratives, offering media organisations a way to repurpose existing resources. From personalising stories to creating immersive experiences, AI bridges the gap between traditional media and modern consumption habits.
AI provides operational power to scale business of IDN
While Eeman focused on AI’s creative and engaging potential, Winston Utomo emphasised its operational benefits. He founded IDN, which quickly became one of Indonesia’s leading media platforms targeting millennials and Gen Z. Under his leadership, IDN has seamlessly integrated AI into its ecosystem to scale operations and diversify revenue streams.
IDN understands the diversity in the audience and uses AI to deliver personalised content. By analysing user behaviour and consumption patterns, the platform curates various media formats, from articles to videos, ensuring its audience remains engaged.
See also: Indonesia’s IDN Media leveraging AI to offer greater value, user experience
This approach has allowed IDN to build a loyal user base while solidifying its position as a leading media company for millennials and Gen Z in Indonesia.
Beyond personalisation, AI has enabled IDN to expand into new areas that resonate with its young, tech-savvy audience. Live streaming and the creator economy have become significant components of IDN’s business model, powered by AI’s ability to optimise connections between influencers and brands.
Utomo explained how their AI-driven platform matches creators with advertisers, creating partnerships that maximise value for both parties while enhancing audience engagement.
“AI allows us to connect the right creators to the right brands efficiently, ensuring relevance and authenticity,” he said.
However, the “box” still exists in IDN. As IDN media, Utomo found its business focused on traditional media frameworks, even as the company experimented with AI-driven innovations.
Recognising this limitation, Utomo expanded its identity and operations beyond media, rebranding it as IDN to evolve into a comprehensive digital ecosystem.
“We need to think beyond media – beyond the box – if we don’t want to be a zombie company,” he said.
Addressing AI use challenges in expertise and ethics
Despite the successes, both Eeman and Utomo acknowledged the challenges of integrating AI.
“Seventy-one percent of companies lack the expertise or skills to tackle this; quite a few also mentioned ethical concerns, budget constraints and information with existing systems,” Eeman described the main challenges for AI adoption.
Nevertheless, he cautioned that companies should clarify priorities and that authenticity and integrity must guide AI-driven projects. The JFK project, for instance, required meticulous oversight to ensure alignment between original material and AI-recreated narratives.
For Utomo, the challenge lies in balancing automation with human oversight. AI enhances efficiency but cannot replace the human touch in creative content creation.
“AI is a tool,” Utomo said, highlighting the balance between AI use and human contribution. Maintaining this balance is essential as IDN continues to push the boundaries of what a digital ecosystem can achieve.
Infrastructure and access disparities also pose significant barriers to AI adoption.
Utomo highlighted how smaller media companies need help to acquire the resources and expertise to implement AI effectively.
Integrating AI to bridge innovation and responsibility
Both speakers urged media leaders to approach AI integration strategically and incrementally.
“Media has, at some point, very clear boundaries. We strictly control the value chain,” Eeman said.
Eeman pointed to the transformation of two-directional interactions between media and audience in the digital age.
He also mentioned that distribution was being changed by the rise of AI to target any place at any time and in any form. The transformation, therefore, impacts creation itself.
Winston Utomo encouraged boldness, challenging leaders to rethink traditional boundaries.
“Hoping is not the strategy,” Utomo said, urging organisations to embrace experimentation and explore untapped opportunities.
His vision for IDN showcases how AI can push media companies beyond conventional frameworks, enabling them to become dynamic platforms that meet evolving audience demands.
By blending technological innovation with human creativity and ethical responsibility, media organisations can redefine how they operate, engage, and tell stories with thoughtful deployment. Media leaders need to understand AI to get their organisations future ready.
About the author: Li Anxin is a Communication Studies student at NTU, specialising in social media marketing and content creation.
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