The BBC plans to open talks with AI providers, expand short-form video, and enhance news on iPlayer in 2025/26. Unlike other major UK news outlets, like The Times, The Sun, and The Guardian, the BBC has yet to sign deals with AI companies. But that might change soon.
This plan comes after the BBC’s research revealed a troubling trend. Nine out of ten AI chatbot responses to news queries had errors. Half contained major mistakes. The BBC sees this as a growing risk to trusted information. Generative AI often distorts facts by scraping and reshaping content incorrectly. The results can be misleading or even dangerous.
Last December, Apple’s AI, Apple Intelligence, generated false and misleading news summaries. It then attributed its claims to BBC. This misleading news led to an uproar about the use of AI in news broadcasting.
To tackle this, the BBC will open discussions with top AI companies and news brands. They hope to work together and find solutions. At the same time, the BBC will keep exploring AI’s benefits. So far, it has used AI for faster translations, subtitles on BBC Sounds, and live football commentary transcripts. Yet, human oversight remains key in these pilots.
BBC Expands on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram
The BBC isn’t just focusing on AI. It’s also keying into short-form videos, which have displayed the highest engagement on the internet. It plans to expand its presence on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Right now, BBC News has:
- 28.6 million followers on Instagram (the first news brand to hit 20 million in 2021).
- 17.6 million subscribers on YouTube.
- 7.4 million followers on TikTok (a platform it joined in 2022).
BBC Verify Grows
BBC Verify, launched in 2023, is also expanding. With a team of 60+ journalists, its mission is simple: prove that news stories are accurate. Currently, Verify focuses on fact-checks in response to breaking news. Moving forward, it will provide daily digital content. It will also ramp up coverage of U.S. politics, especially with the upcoming elections and Donald Trump’s potential second term.
Beyond fact-checking, the BBC has bigger plans. It will launch a school initiative to teach young people how to spot misinformation. It also aims to strengthen its investigative journalism, promising more in-depth, high-impact reports.
A Stronger News Presence on iPlayer
As more people shift to online news, the BBC is adapting. It’s improving its news section on iPlayer. This means more breaking news, top-tier documentaries, and richer story streams. The recent changes are already making an impact. In 2024, weekly active accounts watching news on iPlayer grew 8% compared to the previous year.
To keep up this momentum, the BBC is bringing together its UK Channel and Live Story Stream teams. Their goal will be to create more engaging, in-depth news coverage that stands out in a crowded digital space.
BBC Drops Podcast Ad Plans
One last big change: the BBC has decided against placing ads on some UK podcasts. Initially, the idea was to allow ads on third-party platforms like Apple and Spotify while keeping BBC Sounds ad-free. But critics argued this would disrupt the market, giving the BBC an unfair advantage.
After careful review, the broadcaster has abandoned the plan. Instead, it will continue working with industry partners to support the audio production sector.
