“Once a new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road.” Stewart Brand, co-founder and editor of the Whole Earth Catalog.
Welcome to this new weekly column, where we’ll explore how publishers can position themselves as drivers of the AI steamroller – harnessing its transformative power to pave new roads to innovation, growth, and success in today’s media landscape.
The AI crossroads
AI presents a defining moment for publishers. While 91% of non-executive directors view AI as a significant opportunity for shareholder value, a whopping 80% believe their boards lack the structures to oversee it effectively according to a Gartner Board of Directors Survey carried out last year.
For publishers, this signals an urgent need to integrate AI – not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a driver of growth and innovation.
After more than 20 years leading digital transformation at Bauer, Reach and News UK, I’ve embarked on a new journey, studying a short AI course at Oxford University. My goal is to get myself into a strong position to be able to help publishers navigate this rapidly evolving landscape and seize the opportunities AI offers while tackling its unique challenges.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore practical ways legacy media brands can leverage AI to:
- Unlock new revenue streams.
- Develop innovative monetisation models.
- Improve operational efficiency.
Opportunities lie within challenges for legacy publishers
Legacy publishers face two major hurdles: dwindling revenue diversification and content overload. The majority of digital display advertising revenues continue to flow to the tech giants, and audiences are overwhelmed by an endless stream of information, making it harder than ever to capture and retain attention.
Yet, within these challenges lie opportunities. With its transformative capabilities, AI offers solutions to drive growth, streamline operations, and create new value for audiences.
AI levels the playing field for Kent e-commerce company
The global TV shopping market – valued at $262bn in 2024 and projected to exceed $417bn by 2032 – remains resilient even as traditional TV channels lose younger viewers to YouTube and streamers. This market proved irresistible to Must Have Ideas, a Kent-based e-commerce retailer specialising in cleaning and homeware products.
Founded in 2018 with just £3,000, the company grew rapidly, achieving £40m in sales by March 2024. However, the high costs of 24/7 broadcasting initially deterred their entry into TV shopping. Generative AI changed everything.
In September 2024, it launched the world’s first AI-powered TV shopping channel on Sky, using proprietary software system, Spark. The AI automates programming by stitching together pre-recorded clips, analysing stock levels, sales trends, and external factors like weather to optimise the schedule.
This innovation transformed a resource-heavy broadcast model into an efficient, scalable operation, enabling the company to thrive in a competitive space traditionally dominated by larger players.
For publishers, this success story demonstrates how AI can level the playing field – offering small businesses the tools to compete and innovate on a grand scale.
Four ways AI can transform publishing
- Revenue diversification: Seamlessly integrate tailored product recommendations within content, turning readership into a revenue-generating ecosystem.
- Synthetic research: To succeed, publishers need to understand consumer behaviour. But traditional market research is slow, costly, and misses crucial social dynamics. Synthetic research is a fast-growing field where AI personas are created that closely replicate reality. This offers an excellent opportunity for publishers.
- Content personalisation: Tailor articles, videos, and newsletters to individual reader preferences, enhancing engagement and loyalty.
- Workflow automation: Automate routine editorial tasks, freeing journalists for high-impact storytelling and investigative work.
AI offers publishers the chance to rewrite the rules. The real question is not whether to adopt AI, but how quickly and strategically it can be integrated.
In next week’s column, we’ll explore how AI can empower publishers to develop innovative, non-traditional revenue streams – going beyond advertising.
To help you take the first step, here are two valuable resources:
Firstly – an excellent AI guide on Gartner’s website, that I highly recommend. It offers clear, helpful answers to seven key questions…
- Why does your organisation need to define artificial intelligence?
- What are large language models?
- What are machine learning and deep learning?
- What are the main established AI techniques?
- What are the main emerging AI techniques?
- What are some other key AI terms executives may need to know?
- What is the future of artificial intelligence and AI technologies?
And secondly, Press Gazette’s weekly newsletter: Stay informed on the latest developments shaping the future of media.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
