The news that Thomson Financial, the business information group, has begun using computers to generate certain stories caused little surprise here at the Financial Times. This newspaper is constantly innovating and the time has come to reveal that we have successfully pioneered the science of the computerised editorial comment.

Thomson Financial can release an earnings story within 0.3 seconds of the results being made public. Editorials are simpler, having a lower fact content, and we can produce them in a mere 0.2 seconds. And what could be more valuable than timely comment?