El País is a legacy media brand, a leader in Spanish-language journalism with over 420,000 subscribers and a strong footprint across Europe and Latin America. Integrating AI into our consumer-facing products meant walking a fine line: embracing innovation without compromising the credibility that defines us.

Instead of chasing features, we focused on reader value. Our starting point was a pain point we knew well: our internal search engine.

With over 5 million articles in our archive, much of our rich historical content was getting lost in the daily news cycle. We saw an opportunity to help readers rediscover this content and improve their experience.

This challenge was not just technical; it was philosophical. We knew any solution had to be rooted in our core values of veracity, trust, and editorial excellence.

Expanding the vision

As we developed Vera, our conversational AI-powered conversational assistant, our goals evolved.

We wanted to reinvent how readers consume content within El País, especially as many were turning to external AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini. We also aimed to be the first major Spanish media outlet to launch a reader-facing AI assistant, setting a precedent for innovation in our market.

Another key objective was to provide our editorial team with insights into reader interests. By analysing user queries and interactions, we could better understand what topics resonate most and adapt our coverage accordingly.

To achieve these goals, we assembled a multidisciplinary team — product, design, tech, data, newsroom, legal, subscriptions, marketing, and comms. This collaborative approach ensured that Vera was not just a tech product but a strategic initiative aligned with our broader mission.

Soft launch, strong signals

We launched a minimum viable product (MVP) to more than 4,000 beta testers selected by our customer loyalty team. After one month, we surveyed users to assess satisfaction and identify pain points. The feedback was invaluable.

Approximately 3,300 users interacted with Vera, asking over 13,000 questions. The assistant received an average rating of 3.32 out of 5. Importantly, 74% felt it added value to their subscription, and 81% said they would continue using it post-pilot.

These results validated our approach and gave us the confidence to refine the assistant and launch it to all premium subscribers in March 2025. The pilot phase also helped us identify areas for improvement, such as response accuracy and user interface design.

What makes Vera different

With many publishers now experimenting with AI, what sets Vera apart?

First, it is the first Spanish-language conversational assistant launched by a major media outlet. This linguistic focus allows us to serve our core audience more effectively.

Second, Vera covers all editorial topics — not just niche verticals like finance or climate. Users can access the full archives of El País and Cinco Días, making it a comprehensive tool for information discovery.

Third, Vera indexes content in near real-time, ensuring that users receive the most up-to-date information. It also includes recommendations for soft content — books, recipes, music, cinema, and restaurants — enhancing its utility as a lifestyle companion.

Finally, we’ve implemented robust mechanisms to reduce hallucinations and ensure trustworthy responses. Veracity remains our guiding principle, and we’ve worked hard to make sure Vera reflects that.

Vera is not just a tech experiment; it’s a strategic tool to enhance reader engagement, preserve journalistic integrity, and drive loyalty. For us, AI is not about replacing journalism. It is about amplifying its value.

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