Once upon a time, writers worked alone. Armed with just a pen, a notebook, and a bulky cassette recorder, we’d hit the streets to chase stories and find headlines. At day’s end, we’d return to our computers, transcribe hours of tape word for word, and build an article from scratch. No virtual assistant, no AI-powered summaries—just a dictionary, a press kit on a CD (if we were lucky), and maybe Yahoo or Google for backup. Images came later—sometimes days—depending on how fast the artist could deliver, or how long it took to download hi-res files.
The work was often grueling. But the payoff? Always worth it. Every story was hard-earned.
Today, even a newbie writer can have a whole creative team at her fingertips. Voice Memos can transcribe interviews in real time. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT offer instant idea generation, headlines, summaries, even rewrites. Grammarly polishes rough drafts with a few clicks. And Canva lets anyone—writer, editor, even an intern—create pro-level visuals in minutes, no design background required.
This is the privilege—and the paradigm shift—of being a journalist today. Technology has transformed how stories are told, produced, and published. But with speed and convenience come new questions: What becomes of editorial rigor in the age of AI? Can creativity coexist with automation?
At UN/CONVENTION/AL: Bylines & Beyond, a forum for writers and editors, The Beauty Edit invited notable experts to explore these very questions—examining how tools like generative AI and Canva are not just changing editorial workflows, but reshaping the role of the writer and editor in the digital age.
AI as an Ally, Not a Replacement
In her talk, “The Role of AI in Lifestyle and Beauty Journalism,” Leilani Ramirez-Layug—a certified public accountant-turned-data and AI strategist, and currently Executive Director at Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines—began with a disclaimer: She was about to touch on “very sensitive topics.” It was a fitting preface to a deep dive into what AI is capable of—the good, and the nasty. But she made one thing clear: Generative AI isn’t here to take your job. It’s here to support it.
“Editorial work will be tech-powered, but human-led.”—Leilani Ramirez-Layug
While AI tools are growing in speed and scope, the future of editorial work remains human-led. “It will be tech-powered, but human-led,” she said. “People will still be in control.” Generative AI, when used responsibly, acts more like a thinking partner—offering suggestions, structure, and even style options—than a ghostwriter. The soul of the story still belongs to the journalist.
She outlined a range of practical, editorially relevant use cases where AI can make a meaningful difference:
real-time transcription, idea generation, SEO optimization, trend forecasting, drafting blogs and captions, even enhancing visual content. One particularly helpful example she shared involved creating a custom GPT assistant, a.k.a. ”your 2.0.” She asked it to rewrite her tech-heavy, formal content into something more conversational and blog-style—proof that AI could adapt to an editor’s voice, not erase it.
At the heart of this process is prompt engineering, a skill Ramirez-Layug described as both technical and creative. In simple terms, a prompt is the input you give an AI to guide its output. “You have to be very specific,” she explained. Just like with a human editor, the clarity of your input shapes the quality of the result.
Still, Ramirez-Layug didn’t shy away from the risks. “Don’t take it at face value,” she cautioned, explaining that models have bias risks and “hallucinations.” They may misunderstand tone or reflect harmful stereotypes. Editors, she emphasized, must now extend their critical eye to machine-generated content as well as human work.
Ultimately, Ramirez-Layug returned to the heart of editorial work—its humanity. “Our collective experiences, our knowledge, those that are not publicly available—that’s where we come into play,” she said. The emotional nuance, contextual judgment, and ethical responsibility that define great journalism are still rooted in people, not prompts. “No AI can replicate that.”
For writers and editors, the message is reassuring: AI may shape the tools of the trade, but the craft—and the credibility—remains yours.
The Visual Evolution of Journalism
Before brand copywriter Vernise Tantuco joined Canva, she was a journalist who often found herself limited by a lack of visual tools. “Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could have done any sort of graphic design myself… it was very inaccessible to me,” she recalled. Back then, reporters stuck to writing while collaborating with photographers and designers—if they were lucky enough to have access to them.
“Everything that you do as journalists can be done on Canva.”—Vernise Tantuco
Today, she’s part of a platform that’s democratizing visual storytelling for creators of all kinds—editors, writers, and digital producers included.
At Canva, Tantuco now champions a model where any journalist can become a visual journalist. “Everything that you do as journalists can be done on Canva,” she said. From headlines to highlight reels, from charts to templates—design has become drag-and-drop.
This shift is especially crucial in a digital world where speed, branding, and engagement are essential. “We want to deliver our stories first,” she explained, “and we want to be consistent with our branding with every post.” With Canva, editors no longer need to wait days for design support. They can build and publish visual assets on the fly—from wherever the story breaks. (Fun Trivia: The Beauty Edit’s visuals—from images and presentations to reels and videos—are all done on Canva!)
Tantuco outlined several tools within Canva that are particularly useful for editorial teams:
- Brand Kits help maintain consistency across content by centralizing logos, fonts, and colors.
- Magic Switch resizes content for multiple platforms—turning an Instagram post into a TikTok, reel, or YouTube short without reformatting from scratch.
- Flourish, Canva’s interactive charting tool, allows journalists to create embeddable visualizations without coding or graphic design support.
- Canva Sheets integrates data analysis and visualization into a single workflow, enhanced by AI-powered Magic Insights.
- Magic Write, Canva’s generative text tool, offers assistance with copywriting, summaries, tone adjustments, and idea generation—all within the design interface.
Whether you’re reporting on food, fashion, politics, or finance, Canva makes these capabilities accessible—not intimidating. “Just like how Canva brought all the design tools into one place, Canva also takes all of the best AI tools into one platform.”
And like Ramirez-Layug, Tantuco emphasized that Canva’s AI features are designed to support creativity, not replace it. Tools like Magic Eraser, Magic Animate, and Background Remover don’t eliminate the need for editors or designers—they eliminate obstacles.
“AI doesn’t change the centrality of a creative idea or editorial rigor,” she reminded the audience. In other words: the tools may be smarter, but the storytelling still depends on human intent.
The Modern Editor’s Edge
The path from cassette tapes to Canva, from scribbled notes to ChatGPT, isn’t just a story of technological progress—it’s a story of editorial transformation. As Tantuco showed, platforms like Canva now put visual storytelling directly in the hands of writers and editors. As Ramirez-Layug demonstrated, generative AI can act as a creative partner—speeding up workflows, sparking ideas, and personalizing content without erasing intent.
But even with all this automation and innovation, one thing hasn’t changed: the irreplaceable human at the heart of it all. Today’s editorial edge goes beyond speed and scale. It’s about thoughtful judgment, a distinct voice, and the ability to use new tools with clarity and purpose.
Technology is rewriting the rules. But as long as writers and editors stay grounded in their craft, ethics, and creativity, the byline still belongs to them.
