In an AI-driven media landscape where tools are commoditized, a publisher’s true competitive advantage isn’t technology—it’s the vision that powers how they use it.
Inspired by a line from Richard Jacobsen at evolve Hamburg 2025: “Modern media brands aren’t built on tools, but on vision powered by them.”
Many publishers worry that AI will erase their competitive advantage.
But the opposite is true.
In a world where every media company has access to similar tools, workflows, and AI models, differentiation increasingly comes down to something technology can’t replicate:
Vision.
As the keynote reminded us:
“Our customers are proving that modern media brands aren’t built on tools, but on vision powered by them.”
That is the publisher’s superpower.
Two publishers can use the same AI toolset and produce wildly different results.
One creates a forgettable stream of generic content.
The other builds a differentiated media ecosystem that readers feel deeply connected to.
The difference isn’t the software.
It’s the imagination behind it.
Vision determines:
AI can generate outputs.
But it cannot define purpose.
Purpose is what keeps subscribers loyal.
Publishers expanding into:
…aren’t responding to trends.
They are responding to a deeper truth:
Audiences want more than content — they want connection.
Vision guides product strategy.
Tools simply execute it.
“Don’t just look for progress on the margins,” declared Rich Jacobsen.
Incrementalism won’t carry publishers into 2026 and beyond.
Visionary shifts will
This includes:
These are leadership decisions, not tooling decisions.
Publishing technology should not limit creativity.
It should amplify it.
Darwin CX’s role is simple:
We give publishers a blank canvas with better colors, better brushes, and better lighting.
But the masterpiece is yours.
In the age of AI, tools are becoming commoditized.
Vision is not.
Publishers who invest in creativity, bold thinking, and distinctive editorial identity will outperform those who simply adopt technology.
The future of media belongs to the visionaries — not the machines.
Before investing in the next tool, remember: technology levels the playing field, but vision is what separates great publishers from the rest.
1. Tools don’t differentiate—people do.
Imagination shapes outcomes, not software.
2. Vision defines identity.
AI can create output, but not purpose.
3. Creativity drives expansion.
New products succeed when they ladder up to a bigger vision.
4. Innovation is a mindset.
Bold leadership—not features—moves publishers forward.
5. Tech should amplify, not limit.
Darwin provides the canvas; publishers create the masterpiece.
A single source of real-time customer insights, campaign management, fulfillment, financial reporting, and more.
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