Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami on Turning AI Disruption Into Opportunity

Politico CEO Goli Sheikholeslami stated at the 2026 World News Media Congress in Marseille that artificial intelligence creates an opportunity for journalism by increasing the value of trusted, human-verified intelligence. Sheikholeslami argues that while information is now abundant, trust has become the scarce resource in an AI-driven media landscape.

Speaking in early June 2026, Sheikholeslami identified three primary opportunities for news organizations facing AI disruption: the rising value of original journalism, the ability to serve new audiences through agentic technology, and an increased demand for in-person human connection.

Sheikholeslami noted that as a larger share of internet content becomes AI-generated, verified intelligence that helps people make critical decisions becomes more precious. According to reports from WAN-IFRA, the CEO believes the core of Politico’s success lies in navigating complexity with trusted intelligence.

“The scarce resource will not be information, it will be trust.”Goli Sheikholeslami

The company’s current strategy focuses on “decoding power” across multiple global capitals. Founded in 2007 to cover politics and policy in Washington DC, Politico now employs more than 1,000 journalists and publishing professionals.

The organization currently operates across eight power centers: Washington DC, Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin, Sacramento, New York, and Ottawa. Expansion plans include adding Madrid and Canberra later in 2026.

How is Politico expanding its subscription model?

More than 60 percent of Politico’s revenue is derived from professional subscriptions. This business model began in 2011 as a way to help professionals decode the thousands of pages and multiple regulatory agencies involved in the Affordable Care Act.

The company found that lobbyists, pharmaceutical companies, hospital executives, and state officials required real-time translation of legislative action. This need for specialized intelligence scaled to Brussels and the European Union institutions in 2015, and subsequently to other global capitals.

Sheikholeslami explained that this value proposition has sharpened as geopolitics now influences most major business and investment decisions. For example, when the United States announces new tariffs, Politico covers the resulting moves from Berlin to Brussels to Ottawa, providing intelligence that directly impacts executive profitability.

Why is Politico targeting investment professionals?

Politico is shifting its perspective on journalism, viewing its reporting not just as content to be consumed, but as data and intelligence for new audiences. This has led to an expansion from serving policy professionals to targeting investment professionals.

According to Sheikholeslami, portfolio managers require the ability to quickly identify market signals within deep reporting. To meet this need, Politico intends to use AI-powered integrations to deliver journalism and data directly into professional workflows, such as internal research systems or AI assistants that synthesize information in real time.

Despite this technological integration, Sheikholeslami emphasized that original journalism reported and contextualized by humans remains the foundation of the product.

What role do live events play in an AI-driven world?

As digital experiences become more automated, Politico is betting on the scarcity of human experiences to build trust. The company has developed the “Politico Pub,” a signature live format used during major world events to combine live journalism with human connection over food and drink.

“As AI makes generic and often useless information more abundant, the premium shifts to trusted brands that can convene the right people in the right room for the right conversation.”Goli Sheikholeslami

Sheikholeslami stated that these events are central to the business rather than adjacent to it, as they simultaneously increase editorial authority, commercial value, and audience trust.

How is AI being integrated into the newsroom?

Rather than using AI to reduce staff, Politico is embedding technology directly into the newsroom alongside editors and reporters. Sheikholeslami stated that the company is increasing its investment in journalism and pairing it with technology designed to empower journalists.

The CEO concluded that the strongest media companies will see increased demand for trusted journalism and in-person events as a result of the AI era, rather than simply surviving it.