Edisource Co-Founder Dillon Roulet joined Rich Murphy, CEO @ the Alliance for Audited Media, Kerri Hatt Editor & Chief @ Lexipol, Roberta Mueller, SVP @ Northstar Travel, and AnnMarie Wills CEO @ Leverage Lab for an AI workshop at BIMS 2025.
Why it matters: As AI continues to transform publishing workflows, understanding the balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and maintaining trust and revenue streams is crucial for industry stakeholders.
The big picture: AI is rapidly being integrated into various aspects of publishing, from content creation and SEO optimization to audience engagement and advertising. However, concerns around transparency, bias, and data protection remain paramount.
- AAM CEO Rich Murphy noted a trust gap, stating, "People don't trust AI, they trust people." This sentiment underscores the need for publishers to address transparency and ethical considerations as they implement AI solutions.
- Northstar Travel is leveraging AI, partnering with Leverage Lab, to enhance content tagging and audience engagement. SVP Roberta Muller explains, "We use an AI-powered Gemini vertex layer to... slurp up all of our content... it gets topic tagged and it gets subtopics onto it."
- Lexipol Media Group is using AI to streamline content revision, optimize SEO, and create new content, leading to significant efficiency gains. Editor-in-Chief Kerri Hatt emphasizes the importance of human oversight, advising to "trust but verify" when using AI tools.
Ethical AI Principles in Publishing
AAM CEO Rich Murphy introduced eight principles for ethical AI use, aimed at guiding publishers in navigating the challenges of AI implementation:
- Establish and publish AI policies.
- Ensure transparency and disclosure at the content level.
- Address rights and permissions related to AI-generated content.
- Maintain accountability and human oversight.
- Mitigate bias and ensure fairness.
- Protect privacy and data.
- Provide training and education on AI tools.
- Implement risk management practices.
Monetizing AI-Driven Insights
Northstar Travel is using AI to identify high-value sellable cohorts and improve ad targeting. By integrating AI with first-party data, Northstar aims to offer advertisers more precise and effective campaigns.
Leverage Lab CEO Annemarie Wills notes that there's "this giant gap that exists for media companies between having data and actually making money from data," further stating, "the revenue centricity and the way that it like working directly with the sales teams to have them understand how that AI component is really bringing value is just so important."
Enhancing Content and Efficiency with AI
Lexipol Media Group is leveraging AI to enhance content and streamline editorial processes, from rewriting news stories to summarizing podcasts and analyzing surveys.
"New content creation is certainly where the biggest time savers come in," says Kerri Hatt, explaining how AI tools help her team expand content offerings and improve efficiency.
What to watch: As AI adoption continues to grow, publishers will need to prioritize ethical considerations, invest in training and education, and develop strategies for monetizing AI-driven insights while maintaining audience trust.
