At a Glance
- News Corp will deploy Symbolic.ai’s platform inside Dow Jones Newswires
- Symbolic claims up to 90 % productivity gains on complex research tasks
- The startup was created by ex-eBay CEO Devin Wenig and Ars Technica co-founder Jon Stokes
- Why it matters: One of the world’s largest media groups is moving from AI experiments to daily, revenue-producing use
News Corp-owner of the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and MarketWatch-has signed a deal to integrate Symbolic.ai’s editorial workflow platform into its financial-news operation, Dow Jones Newswires. The agreement marks a shift from pilot programs to full-scale production use of artificial intelligence in a major newsroom.
Inside the Partnership
Symbolic.ai, founded in 2023 by Devin Wenig and Jon Stokes, offers a suite of tools designed to speed up news production without replacing reporters. The platform handles:
- Newsletter assembly
- Audio transcription
- Fact-checking
- Headline optimization
- SEO guidance
A company statement said the software has delivered “productivity gains of as much as 90 % for complex research tasks,” though no independent audit of that figure has been released.
Why Dow Jones Newswires
Dow Jones Newswires pumps out thousands of market-moving headlines and short stories each trading day. Speed and accuracy are critical; even a few seconds’ delay can cost traders money. By automating repetitive prep work, Symbolic.ai aims to free journalists to focus on sourcing, interviewing, and analysis.
News Corp has already tested AI on smaller projects. In 2024 it licensed archived content to OpenAI for model training, and last November executives told investors they were open to similar deals with other AI vendors. The Symbolic agreement is the first time the company has committed to embedding a third-party AI engine inside an active newsroom CMS.
Startup Backers and Competitors
Symbolic.ai has kept a low profile since launch, declining to publish customer names or pricing tiers. Besides Wenig and Stokes, the firm lists former Bloomberg CTO Shawn Edwards as an adviser. Rivals include United Robots, Automated Insights, and Reuters’ own Lynx Insight platform, all of which pitch AI-generated earnings previews and sports recaps to publishers.
Editorial Safeguards
News Corp emphasized that every Symbolic-generated element will pass through human editors before publication. Dow Jones editor-in-chief emeritus Matt Murray told staff the goal is “augmentation, not replacement,” according to an internal memo viewed by News Of Philadelphia.
Market Context
Media companies have burned cash for a decade trying to squeeze more output from shrinking newsrooms. AI vendors promise to reverse the trend by turning data-heavy tasks into minutes-long workflows. If Symbolic delivers even half of its claimed 90 % efficiency bump, other publishers are likely to follow News Corp’s lead.
Key Takeaways
- News Corp’s deal with Symbolic.ai moves AI from lab to live news production
- Dow Jones Newswires will use the platform for transcription, fact-checking, and headline testing
- Symbolic was founded by tech veterans Wenig and Stokes and claims 90 % research-task speed-ups
- The agreement follows News Corp’s 2024 content-licensing pact with OpenAI
