Last chance to save on Digiday Publishing Summit passes is February 9
Publishers weigh generative AI’s pros and cons during the Digiday Publishing Summit
This article is part of Digiday’s coverage of its Digiday Publishing Summit. More from the series →
The third-party cookie may have gotten a lot of attention on stage during the September 2023 edition of the Digiday Publishing Summit. But AI was a major focal point throughout the event.
For the most part — based on interviews with publishers who spoke at DPS featured in the video below — their focus for the moment seems to be on how AI can make people’s jobs easier, as opposed to take people’s jobs away. Additionally, publishers seem to be exerting a healthy amount of caution — and concern — when it comes to how much of their businesses they want to expose to AI. Specifically, they are largely drawing a line when it comes to content creation.
“When we think about AI… it’s more about the internal work it can help us eliminate rather than outsourcing the meat of our jobs,” said Charlotte Owen, editor-in-chief of BDG-owned Bustle and Elite Daily.
More in Media
Brands invest in creators for reach as celebs fill the Big Game spots
The Super Bowl is no longer just about day-of posts or prime-time commercials, but the expanding creator ecosystem surrounding it.
WTF is the IAB’s AI Accountability for Publishers Act (and what happens next)?
The IAB introduced a draft bill to make AI companies pay for scraping publishers’ content. Here’s how it’ll differ from copyright law, and what comes next.
Media Briefing: A solid Q4 gives publishers breathing room as they build revenue beyond search
Q4 gave publishers a win — but as ad dollars return, AI-driven discovery shifts mean growth in 2026 will hinge on relevance, not reach.