AI won’t make or break a publisher — but how you use it will. Treat AI as a creative amplifier, not a substitute, and it becomes the tool that frees you to do your best, most imaginative work.
AI sits at a crossroads inside every media company right now.
On one side: efficiency, speed, automation, and scale.
On the other: the risk of creative laziness, generic content, and loss of voice.
And the truth is simple:
AI will either make you extraordinary or mediocre.
The deciding factor is you.
The keynote at Evolve Hamburg put it perfectly:
“AI can diminish diligence… OR free you up to paint your masterpiece.”
Here’s how publishers can ensure it’s the latter.
Great ideas still come from people.
AI is the spark, not the fire.
Use AI to:
But don’t let it replace the critical thinking, editorial instinct, and cultural awareness that define your brand.
AI can write quickly.
But it cannot replicate:
Use AI to accelerate production, not to lower the bar.
Human review isn’t optional — it’s the differentiator.
AI levels the playing field for mediocre content.
But it cannot compete with:
In a world full of AI-generated summaries, real storytelling becomes your moat.
The keynote highlighted three roles AI can play: amplify, augment, elevate.
But AI should never:
AI is powerful, but leadership is still human.
AI can increase output, but publishers must connect creativity to:
Creativity is not an expense.
It’s the engine that powers every revenue strategy.
AI won’t define the future of media.
How publishers choose to use AI will.
Use AI as a partner, not a crutch.
Use it to scale excellence, not shortcuts.
Use it to amplify your creativity, not replace it.
And above all, remember:
The choice is yours.
Before adopting more AI, remember: the risk isn’t the technology itself — it’s letting it do the work only humans can do.
1. Use AI as inspiration, not substitution.
It can spark ideas, but only people create original ones.
2. Standards matter more than speed.
Human judgment is the safeguard that keeps quality high.
3. Creativity becomes your competitive moat.
AI can summarize — it can’t investigate, contextualize, or tell a story with soul.
4. AI is a team member, not the team.
It can augment and elevate, but editorial authority stays human.
5. Creativity drives business outcomes.
Better storytelling fuels CLTV, growth, engagement, and monetization.
A single source of real-time customer insights, campaign management, fulfillment, financial reporting, and more.
