AI, News Agents, and Local Media

HANA.news is a cutting-edge AI tool designed to streamline news gathering and distribution. How can AI support local publishers, improve efficiency, and create sustainable business models—without sacrificing journalistic integrity?

This week I spoke with Mark Riley and Ed Daniels, the creators behind HANA, a hyper-personalized autonomous news agent designed to transform how local news is gathered and delivered.

Mark Riley brings extensive experience from his time leading AI innovation at Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal. Now based in Bristol, UK, he runs an AI consultancy called Mathison.ai focused on ethical AI adoption in media and publishing.

Ed Daniels, an AI scientist, gained attention for developing an AI tool that detects ChatGPT-generated content in student essays—a project that earned him both recognition and backlash. Together, they’ve channeled their expertise into creating HANA.news, a tool that streamlines local news aggregation and distribution.

Our discussion sheds light on the current challenges facing local journalism, the potential of AI in addressing these challenges, and the ethical considerations involved in implementing AI-driven news solutions.

The Origins of HANA

HANA, which stands for “Hyper-Personalized Autonomous News Agents,” started as an experiment. Mark, with his deep understanding of media’s AI needs, challenged Ed to build a tool capable of aggregating relevant local news stories into a newsletter.

What began as a lunchtime challenge quickly evolved into a fully functional prototype by the evening. The tool has since grown into a sophisticated AI-driven news aggregator that can retrieve, summarize, and format local news from various sources into an easily digestible newsletter.

How HANA Works

At its core, HANA is a retrieval tool that autonomously pulls together relevant news stories from local sources, including blogs, government reports, university press releases, and more. Users can specify topics of interest, set parameters for time frames, and receive curated summaries. The tool aims to save time for publishers by automating the labor-intensive task of news gathering while ensuring human oversight remains integral to the process.

Ed elaborated on the technology, explaining that the system initially relied on RSS feeds but evolved to leverage AI-driven search optimization. By allowing AI to intelligently filter and prioritize information, HANA reduces the noise and delivers only the most relevant articles, making it an invaluable tool for local journalists and publishers.

AI as an Enabler, Not a Replacement

One of the major concerns surrounding AI in journalism is the risk of diminishing journalistic integrity. Mark and Ed stress that AI should be used as a tool to enhance efficiency rather than replace human judgment. HANA ensures that every newsletter has at least 20% human input—whether through editorial oversight, source verification, or content curation.

Mark highlights that AI can significantly cut down the time required to produce high-quality local news. What previously took an entire day can now be accomplished in under an hour. However, he emphasizes that AI should not replace investigative journalism but rather enable journalists to focus on in-depth reporting while AI handles routine news aggregation.

Addressing the Local News Business Model Crisis

A core theme of our discussion is the ongoing struggle of local news organizations to remain financially viable. Traditional ad-driven revenue models have crumbled, and many local papers have shut down. Mark and Ed believe AI can play a crucial role in reviving local journalism by making news production more cost-effective.

I suggested a potential shift in local journalism’s business model—moving from a traditional newsroom to a hybrid model where local publishers act as marketing agencies while using AI to streamline both content creation and business operations. Mark and Ed agree, noting that AI-driven tools like HANA can facilitate hyper-local advertising, automated content creation, and even premium subscription models tailored to specific communities.

Bristol as a Testbed for AI-Driven Local News

HANA is currently being piloted in Bristol, UK, as a real-world experiment in AI-powered local news distribution called Bristol News by HANA. The newsletter covers a range of topics, including local government updates, real estate, sports, and events. One of the most popular sections, according to Mark, is real estate—a reflection of the ongoing demand for high-quality local property news.

The Bristol newsletter is also helping the HANA team refine their approach to audience engagement, growth strategies, and monetization. By leveraging AI for rapid content aggregation and structuring, they aim to replicate this model across other UK cities in the near future.

What’s Next for HANA.news?

Mark and Ed are currently at a crossroads regarding the future of HANA: Should it remain an internal tool for building a network of AI-driven local news outlets, or should it be launched as a SaaS product for wider use? The platform is already available in beta (app.hana.news), and they encourage users to explore its capabilities and provide feedback.

Additionally, they see vast potential beyond local news. AI-driven newsletters can be powerful tools for businesses, industry-specific publications, and even niche communities seeking curated, high-quality content without the manual labor of sourcing and summarizing news.

The Future of AI in Local Journalism

Looking ahead, Mark and Ed foresee AI becoming increasingly integrated into every aspect of local journalism. Mark predicts that AI will help address the lack of on-the-ground reporters by automating information extraction from sources like city council meetings and local government reports.

However, he believes that while AI will handle the heavy lifting of data collection, human journalists will always be needed for verification, storytelling, and analysis.

Ed adds that hyper-personalization will be a key trend, where AI tailors news content based on individual reader preferences. However, he warns of the risks associated with excessive personalization—potentially leading to information bubbles where readers only receive news aligned with their existing beliefs.

Final Thoughts

As AI continues to evolve, its role in journalism will likely expand, bringing both opportunities and challenges. Tools like HANA demonstrate the potential of AI to revitalize local news by improving efficiency, increasing accessibility, and opening new revenue streams. However, maintaining ethical standards and journalistic integrity will be critical to ensuring AI-driven news serves the public good.

The future of local journalism may be uncertain, but one thing is clear: AI is here to stay, and its influence on the industry will only grow. The challenge now is to harness its power responsibly and creatively to serve communities better than ever before.