When NueveCuatroUno launched in La Rioja, Spain, in 2015, they knew they couldn’t compete on legacy. But as a young, digital-native outlet, they believed their advantage could come from somewhere else.
Innovation is where we’ve found our footing, A new digital media outlet that has to compete with legacy players needs to rely on levers like this one.
– Chus del Río, Founder of NueveCuatroUno and advisor to Bridged Media
That lever, increasingly, has been AI.
But unlike the flurry of adoption happening across the media industry, NueveCuatroUno didn’t approach AI with grand promises or existential fear. They started small. They started early. And they started with a clear purpose.
In our case, there was never any fear or resistance, on the contrary, there was a sense of need to incorporate AI, because it’s absurd to turn your back on reality.
This is the story of how one newsroom made AI feel less like a disruption and more like a natural next step.
Starting Small, Thinking Big
NueveCuatroUno’s earliest encounters with AI weren’t revolutionary. They were practical. Chus and his team began with what was available: transcription tools, productivity apps, basic use of GPT.
It was enough to unlock a mindset shift.
We understood from the very beginning that we have to take advantage of the benefits AI offers… Reporters spend less time on repetitive tasks and therefore have more time to do more journalism.
The efficiency gains weren’t theoretical, they were daily. Tasks that once drained editorial time became quick, low-effort workflows. But every tool was adopted with a clear editorial boundary: AI could assist, not decide.
There’s always a human check, always a journalistic review before content gets published.
Editorial Workflows Rebuilt for Focus
The first major change came in content production. With Bridged’s Drafter Agent, the team could generate drafts of recurring items, like press releases or petrol price updates, without draining energy from more meaningful reporting.
You can publish a version of a press release very quickly and easily, without the newsroom having to invest too much time… It’s a huge advancement to automate certain types of content.
This meant reclaiming hours per week. But the goal wasn’t just speed. It was freeing reporters to write what only they could.
Transforming User Experience
Next came the reader side.
Using Bridged’s Smart Reading Agent, NueveCuatroUno introduced AI-generated summaries to its stories, giving users an optional way to consume content faster. The concern, at first, was whether summaries would cannibalise time-on-page.
The opposite happened.
With news summaries… users who read the summary usually end up reading the full article or spending more time on it than they would have without the summary.
The results? Higher engagement, deeper retention, and a more modern reading experience, all without changing the editorial tone or voice.
Building User Trust
One of NueveCuatroUno’s most visible experiments has been the launch of Oria, their branded version of Bridged’s Knowledge Agent.
Oria captures the heart of their innovation strategy: treating AI not just as a backend tool, but as a way to enhance the user experience and offer something distinctly different from other outlets.
What we achieved with Oria was essentially giving AI a face and name. AI is a very generic thing… By naming it, we made the product more approachable for users.
Designed to support discovery and deepen engagement, Oria helps readers navigate content by answering questions, surfacing related stories, and offering contextual information. While adoption is still growing, audience response has been encouraging.
There’s no user rejection. Based on our experience with other products, we believe it’ll gradually become part of users’ routines.
Measuring the ROI
When asked about return on investment, Chus doesn’t hesitate.
Productivity-wise, no doubt. It’s a significant improvement in our editors’ productivity and effectiveness.
But the bigger surprise? AI hasn’t just made the newsroom more efficient, it’s also elevated audience engagement.
With news summaries… engagement is very positive. And in terms of brand image too — thanks to AI, we’ve managed to take a step forward in our market and present ourselves as an innovative outlet.
That reputational lift carries real weight, especially for younger, digital-first publishers competing for attention in an increasingly saturated media landscape.
What Comes Next
For NueveCuatroUno, the future of AI isn’t defined by any single feature. It’s driven by a holistic, innovation-first mindset: where curiosity leads, but never blindly, and speed is pursued without sacrificing intention.
We’re clear that we have to keep walking hand in hand with these kinds of products. We don’t know exactly where it will lead, but our North Star is to not be afraid, and to keep trying things.
In an industry where trends often outruns results, NueveCuatroUno is doing something different. They’re building intentionally and with a sense of purpose.