Alma Media Enhances AI Capabilities and Boosts Competitiveness with New AI Programme

Alma Media leverages AI (artificial intelligence) extensively and encourages its employees to experiment with new solutions.

At the beginning of 2024, Alma Media launched a comprehensive AI programme designed to strengthen the internal capabilities and improve the long-term competitiveness. Although AI has been utilised in Alma’s service development for years, the AI programme takes a more holistic approach to AI’s possibilities. Alma is currently engaged in around 50 AI-related development projects both in Finland and abroad. The focus is also on expanding expertise.

What is the AI Programme?

The AI programme is a strategic initiative covering the entire Alma Media Group. Its primary objective is to enhance the knowledge of every Alma employee and, in the long term, improve the Group’s competitiveness.

The programme consists of streams, which are overarching initiatives across the entire company. One stream focuses on improving software development productivity and developer experience, while another concentrates on journalistic work and content production. A third stream invests broadly in AI tools, such as piloting Copilot for Microsoft 365. Each stream has its own responsible persons who advance development projects in their respective areas.

“In the first phase of the programme, we have particularly invested in developing expertise and providing AI tools to our employees. Additionally, we innovate and develop AI-assisted products for internal use. AI has also been harnessed to enhance customer service experience in our products and services. Next, we will focus on the development of new commercial products. The most ambitious goal is to identify entirely new business opportunities”, says the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Antti Koivisto.

The programme also has its own KPI metrics, which are reported to the management team.

Integrating AI into Alma Employees’ Daily Work

Alma has set ambitious goals for leveraging AI in the daily work of every employee. According to Communications and Brand Director Elina Kukkonen, the aim is for every Alma employee, team, and business unit to experiment with AI by the end of 2024. To support this goal, the AI programme has been established, including training and increased communication about AI opportunities.

Alma employees have eagerly embraced the challenge, with over 700 employees participating in the internal online training called AI Challenge. This is an international course where Alma employees share knowledge with each other. The course teaches the basics of using AI, including the use of Copilot. Additionally, the course provides a good overview of what has already been done with AI at Alma.

“Generative AI revolutionises work and opens new opportunities for every employee. I encourage an open-minded approach to AI, exploring how it can assist in one’s work,” Kukkonen says.

Picture: Chief Technology Officer Antti Koivisto is responsible for, among other things, data and application development for shared functions and Alma’s strategic AI programme.

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