CEO Jennifer Schivas was recently asked to share her thoughts on how we’ve been working with publishers to get the most value from AI. Here’s the article, or you can read it, and other insightful content, on the Mx3 website.
At 67 Bricks, we’ve been deeply involved in helping publishers navigate the complex terrain of AI and all the potential it offers. Recently, I had the opportunity to corner some of our team members at the coffee machine and pick their brains about the AI projects they’ve been working on.
The range of initiatives was impressive and each one offers a glimpse into how AI can be leveraged for substantial impact. But as exciting as these developments are, they also underscore the importance of a thoughtful, ROI-focused approach to AI adoption.
What we’ve been working on
1. Forecasting Tools: One of the most powerful applications of AI is in forecasting future trends. By analyzing historical data, journalism, and other sources, AI can either power internal decision-making (helping publishers predict what content or topics will resonate with audiences in the coming months or years) or provide predictive forecasts to customers, creating new revenue and making you essential in their workflow. These forecasting tools are not just about staying ahead of the curve—they’re about making informed decisions that can drive long-term growth, for you and your customers.
2. Summarising Complex Content: The ability to condense detailed content into accessible summaries is a game-changer for publishers looking to serve diverse audience segments. Whether it’s breaking down scientific research for the general public or tailoring news for different demographics, AI-powered summarization tools ensure that complex information is both useful and engaging.
3. AI-Generated Podcasts: Beyond summarising content, you can also use AI to generate different content formats. Podcasts are increasingly popular, and AI is making it easier than ever to produce them. By converting existing content into podcast form, even generating them in multiple languages, AI can help publishers reach new audiences and boost engagement. We’ve developed a tool that does just that, and the speed at which it converts written content into conversational voices is spookily impressive.
4. Sentiment Analysis: Understanding public sentiment is critical for publishers, again for both internal and external use cases. AI-driven sentiment analysis tools can track how, where, and why certain topics are being discussed, providing valuable insights that can inform editorial strategies and reporting, or becoming tools that customers leverage to monitor their own industries. We’ve been speaking to companies in a variety of verticals, from political insights to luxury goods, about the value of understanding what the market is saying and feeling at any given moment.
5. Knowledge Mining: Publishers sit on vast amounts of unstructured content, much of which contains hidden insights and valuable information. AI-driven knowledge mining can sift through this content, extracting insights and delivering answers that might otherwise remain buried. This not only enhances the value of existing content but also supports the creation of new, data-driven products.
6. Conversational Search: Making expert information easily accessible for a wide audience of different users can be hard. Conversational search tools, powered by AI, allow users to query large libraries of content and data in natural language, making it easier to find specific information and enhancing the user experience.
7. Editorial Decision-Making Enhancements: Speed and accuracy are crucial in today’s fast-paced publishing environment. AI tools can accelerate editorial processes by helping teams make faster, more informed decisions. From identifying trending topics to optimizing publication schedules, these tools can broaden a publisher’s coverage while reducing time to market.
8. Reference and Source Validation: Ensuring the accuracy of references and sources is a time-consuming but essential task for any publisher. AI can simplify this process by automatically locating and validating references, freeing up editorial teams to focus on higher-level tasks and ensuring the credibility of published content.
9. Horizon Scanning: In a globalized world, staying on top of emerging trends and capturing relevant content from around the world is a daunting task. AI-powered horizon scanning tools can identify and aggregate content from global sources, powering intelligence products that keep publishers and their audiences informed about the latest developments.
10. Building on Customer Feedback: Customer feedback is a goldmine of insights, but it’s often unstructured and difficult to analyze at scale. AI can process and interpret this feedback, helping publishers shape product roadmaps and ensure they’re meeting the needs of their audiences.
Get Going – Start with ROI
It’s tempting to dive into AI adoption headfirst, experimenting with different tools and technologies to see what sticks. However, this approach can lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities.
Instead, publishers should begin with a clear understanding of their goals and the specific challenges they want to address. What are the pain points in your current processes? Where do you see the most significant potential for growth? By starting with these questions, you can identify which AI tools are most likely to deliver a strong ROI.
For instance, if expanding into new content formats is high on the agenda, AI-generated podcasts could offer the quickest route to success. Alternatively, building forecasting tools that give customers actionable insights might be the better path if you’re looking for ways to provide added value from existing content and data. The key is to align AI initiatives with strategic objectives, ensuring that every investment is purposeful and poised to deliver results.
AI as a Strategic Partner
AI is not a magic bullet, but when deployed strategically it can be a powerful partner in a publisher’s growth journey. So, whether you’re just starting to explore AI or are looking to refine your approach, remember that success lies in selecting the right tools for the right reasons. Start with a focus on ROI, and let AI do the rest.
And if you ever want to talk about how to make AI work for your business—or just hear more about our latest AI adventures—drop me a line. I’m always up for a coffee and a conversation about the future of publishing.
Jennifer Schivas-Porter
CEO, 67 Bricks
