can get for you.Founded in 1843, The Economist is one of the world’s most respected news publications and is renowned for its in-depth analysis, editorial rigor, and global outlook. The London-based magazine covers international politics, business, science, and culture, blending print, digital, podcast, and video storytelling.
As media consumption becomes increasingly multimodal and global, The Economist sought ways to expand its reach across languages and platforms without sacrificing editorial quality or driving up production costs. Leading that effort is Ludwig Siegele, Senior Editor of AI Initiatives.
“My job is to figure out how to use generative AI in the newsroom,” Ludwig said. “And that’s not always easy.”
But when it came to video localization, the answer quickly became clear: HeyGen.
Unlocking global reach with AI-powered video translation
The Economist produces a steady stream of short, editorially rich videos for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. However, these were traditionally published only in English due to the high costs and complexity of translating and re‑producing video content across multiple languages.
“Before translating a video, it would cost too much money to even start putting out one or two,” Ludwig said. “The experiments themselves were too expensive.”
That changed when Ludwig came across HeyGen. “I first heard about HeyGen from the son of a colleague in our Berlin office,” Ludwig said. “He used it to translate training videos for his team in Eastern Europe. I saw it and thought, ‘this is amazing.’”
The team began testing HeyGen’s translation pipeline on their short-form social videos, translating English originals into German, French, Spanish, and Mandarin. “The way we use HeyGen is simple,” Ludwig said. “We upload the video, it gives us a rough translation, and we use the proofreading feature to make it perfect.”
That proofreading capability was a game‑changer. Other platforms offered automatic translation but didn’t allow editorial control. “You’re at the mercy of the algorithm,” Ludwig said. “And that doesn’t always meet our journalistic standards.” HeyGen’s ability to edit translations in-line and be reviewed by native speakers ensured that The Economist could preserve its tone, precision, and voice.
The results were immediate. Some translated videos outperformed their English originals, achieving hundreds of thousands of views. “That was a big moment for us,” Ludwig said.
Scaling experiments and shifting internal culture
HeyGen’s success also marked a cultural shift inside the newsroom. “My goal is to get colleagues to actually use the technology,” Ludwig said. “Everyone has access, but it’s hard to change workflows. Tools like HeyGen make that easier because the results speak for themselves.”
One early demonstration proved pivotal. “The first time I saw one of our editors speaking fluent French; it was jaw-dropping,” Ludwig recalled. “The mouth movements matched, the tone of voice was identical. It looked real.”
The realism of HeyGen’s translation helped The Economist’s journalists see AI not as a novelty but as a practical newsroom tool. That credibility opened the door to new forms of experimentation.
The team has since begun testing avatar‑based explainers, using images of historical thinkers brought to life through AI-generated motion and narration. The project is part of a new series on liberalism that reimagines how historical concepts can be taught visually.
“The future of journalism is liquid,” Ludwig said. “You write an article, and then you turn it into a video, then into audio. The consumer chooses how to experience it.” HeyGen helped make that vision tangible without overhauling The Economist’s production workflow.
Transforming journalism through multilingual AI video
Since implementing HeyGen, The Economist has unlocked new multilingual capabilities, expanded audience reach, and validated its investment in AI‑powered journalism.
- Video reach increased: Some translated videos received hundreds of thousands of views—matching or exceeding the performance of English originals.
- Localization unlocked: For the first time, The Economist could experiment with multilingual video at scale. “It only became possible because the cost dropped enough to make experimentation viable,” Ludwig said.
- Editorial quality preserved: HeyGen’s proofreading feature allowed native speakers to refine translations, ensuring accuracy and maintaining The Economist’s high editorial standards.
Beyond metrics, the human impact has been equally meaningful. “Using HeyGen to produce professional videos is exciting,” Ludwig said. “At the end, you can say, ‘I made this.’ It empowers you to do things you otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.”
Today, The Economist continues to build on its AI capabilities across video, translation, and editorial production. For those considering similar tools, his advice is simple.
“If you’re curious about HeyGen, just try it,” Ludwig said. “Upload a video, test the translations, play with the proofreading and you’ll see just how powerful and accessible this technology really is.”
