The Media Copilot

Jonathan Roberts of Dotdash Meredith unpacks how one of the largest digital publishers is adapting to AI and the changing nature of online audiences.The media business is no stranger to disruption—but AI is changing the rules of engagement faster than most companies can respond. At Dotdash Meredith, Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Jonathan Roberts is trying to stay not just afloat, but ahead. This week on The Media Copilot, I talk with Jonathan about how one of the biggest names in digital publishing is confronting—and capitalizing on—AI’s rapid rise.Dotdash Meredith is home to household-name brands like People, InStyle, and Investopedia. But behind the glossy covers and evergreen SEO content is a highly engineered operation—one that’s been data-forward for years. From its proprietary ad tech platform D/Cipher (built to thrive in a post-cookie world) to deep integrations with OpenAI, the company is betting on innovation as its survival strategy.In our conversation, we cover:Why Dotdash leaned into its OpenAI partnership early—and how it’s paying off in real-timeThe evolving relationship between editorial integrity and algorithmic optimizationHow personalization at scale is being done without compromising trust or qualityWhat AI agents mean for traffic, SEO, and the entire structure of online publishingWhether we’re heading toward a future where humans don’t browse websites—they just askJonathan shares how Dotdash is adapting its product, content, and monetization models to survive in an environment where Google is no longer the gateway to the internet—and where AI summaries may be the only thing standing between your brand and invisibility.We also talk about what’s not changing: the need for trusted, human storytelling—and the critical role publishers still play in shaping how information flows online. But how do you fund it? That’s the tension we explore.This is a candid, smart look at the state of play in media innovation—one that pulls back the curtain on how digital publishers are rethinking their entire business to meet the moment.—If you’re enjoying The Media Copilot, don’t forget to follow the show on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Leaving a rating or review helps more people discover the show. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to like and subscribe for weekly episodes on how AI is reshaping media, journalism, and content creation.You can also subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter (link in show notes) and visit mediacopilot.ai for exclusive resources, tools, and AI training courses built specifically for media professionals.This episode of The Media CoPilot was produced by Pete Pachal, Executive Producer Michele Musso, and with video/audio editing by the Musso Media team. Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. All rights reserved.Music: Favorite by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License https://filmmusic.io/song/4855-favorite© AnyWho Media 2025

A revealing conversation with NewsGuard’s Steven Brill on trust, truth, and the battle for clean data in the AI age.  The AI era is rewriting the rules of media — but what happens when disinformation sneaks into the algorithms shaping what we see and believe?This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Steven Brill, a legend in the journalism world and co-founder of NewsGuard, the company working to restore trust in news. Steven’s media legacy includes launching Court TV, creating American Lawyer magazine, and authoring bestsellers on health care, education, and much more. But his latest focus? Making sense of AI’s impact on information integrity.In this episode, we dive into:The bombshell NewsGuard report exposing a Russian propaganda campaign that infiltrated AI training dataWhat this means for platforms like ChatGPT and PerplexityHow to fight misinformation inside the machineWhether NewsGuard itself can stay unbiased — and how it handles criticsWhat’s next for NewsGuard in the AI era (including an exclusive announcement: NewsGuard’s TrueNews AI, a small language model that indexes only sites NewsGuard deems “not unreliable”)If you care about the future of media, credibility, and the truth itself in a world shaped by AI, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.Listen now to hear from Steven Brill on the fight to keep our information ecosystem clean — and how we all have a role to play.Coming up: Free Webinar – April 10I'm also hosting a live webinar on Thursday, April 10 with David Buttle, founder of DJB Strategies. We'll be taking a deep dive into AI substitution risk — how AI-powered search engines are summarizing the news, killing clicks, and reshaping publisher economics.We'll cover:What types of content are most at riskWhy AI search is disrupting audience engagementTactical strategies to protect and future-proof your content businessVisit mediacopilot.ai to register and secure your spot.The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the podcast on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This episode of The Media CoPilot was produced by Pete Pachal, Executive Producer Michele Musso, and with video/audio editing by the Musso Media team. Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. All rights reserved.Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License

By using AI, hyperlocal news platform Patch expanded from 1,100 to over 30,000 communities in a matter of months. How they did it without creating slop.This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Warren St. John, CEO of Patch, to explore how AI is driving this exponential growth. Patch’s AI-powered newsletters can now spin up hyperlocal updates for virtually any ZIP code in the U.S., offering a new model for personalized, community-driven journalism at scale. But what does this mean for the editorial process, and how does AI fit into a model that has already made Patch a profitable success?In this episode, we dive into: • How Patch uses AI to create high-quality, hyperlocal newsletters• Why ChatGPT can’t replicate what Patch is doing—yet• The surprising reaction of Patch’s editorial team to this AI-driven shift• What this level of scale means for the future of local news• How to scale AI in media without sacrificing qualityIf you're curious about how AI can empower, rather than replace, local journalism—or how media companies can harness AI to grow without diluting their editorial integrity—this conversation is a must-listen.🎧 Tune in now to hear how Warren St. John and Patch are redefining the future of hyperlocal news.Connect with Warren St. John - https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-st-john-b17a8788/?trk=pprof-feed Or check out Patch: https://patch.com/ Don’t Miss This! Webinar on AI Substitution Risk – April 10thIf you’re interested in AI’s impact on the media, I’ve got something else for you. Join me, Pete Pachal, and David Buttle, founder of DJB Strategies, for a deep dive into AI substitution risk on April 10th.AI-powered search engines summarize content, siphon off clicks, and threaten revenue. But what can publishers do about it? This webinar will provide a roadmap for content strategy that breaks down: ✅ Which types of content are most vulnerable ✅ Tactics to mitigate substitution risk ✅ Actionable insights to future-proof your media business📅 Sign up now at mediacopilot.ai and get ahead of the AI curve.And as always, if you’re enjoying The Media Copilot, I’d be grateful if you’d: ✅ Follow the show on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen ✅ Leave a rating or review—it helps more than you know ✅ Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that notification bell 🔔AI is reshaping the future of media. Let’s make sure it’s a future worth building.-This episode of The Media CoPilot was produced by Pete Pachal, Executive Producer Michele Musso, and with video/audio editing by the Musso Media team. Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. All rights reserved.© AnyWho Media 2025  

We're slashing the price of our AI course for PR and media professionals for one day only.The results from the first cohort of AI for PR & Media Professionals are in. The six-week AI training course closed on Tuesday with two dozen students showing capstone projects that incorporated advanced AI techniques like automations and custom tooling, often pairing them with popular tools like Perplexity and Claude. The AI-enhanced workflows they created are going to save them hours of tedious work every week.And now we're about to do it all again.On March 18, the second cohort of AI for PR & Media Professionals begins. Over the course of six weeks, we're going to take a group of students from basic prompting all the way to developing their own specialized monitoring tools and tailored assistants. And there's still time for you to join.Want more detail before signing up? That's exactly what fellow instructor Peter Bittner and I explore in this week's Media Copilot podcast. We unpack some specific lessons in the course, why they can move the needle for communications work, and what we learned from our students.Even better, we're offering a big discount on the course for one day only. If you buy a spot now, you can save 30% off a $1,499 ticket — taking the price down to $1,049. Just use the code FLASH30 at checkout. Payment plans are also available.Still need convincing? How about this testimonial from one of the new graduates: "The tools and techniques have saved me countless hours while opening doors to new client opportunities. My family has noticed the difference too—they're proud to see me embracing these technologies with such enthusiasm. This course has truly been empowering."Spring 2025 cohort participants will gain practical experience in:Building automations that streamline routine PR tasks, significantly improving workflow efficiencyUtilizing tools like GPT for Sheets and Excel to generate insightful data and automate complex analysesConstructing custom GPT systems to manage real-time crisis scenarios with precise, consistent messagingCreating AI-driven media strategies and visualizing ROI with automated data analysisDeveloping customized media monitoring systems that spot trends competitors might overlookEach attendee receives two personalized coaching sessions, ensuring the skills acquired directly apply to their unique professional challenges. Graduates consistently report tangible benefits: tasks previously taking hours become manageable in minutes, enabling PR pros to expand their business into new sectors confidently.Listen to the podcast to get a feel for what makes the course so special (more detail below), and hit me up directly if you have any questions.The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the podcast on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License© AnyWho Media 2025

When Dow Jones’ business intelligence service went down the path of AI, it was determined to avoid stepping on any copyright mines.This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Traci Mabrey, General Manager of Factiva, the business intelligence platform from Dow Jones. Unlike many AI companies that scrape publicly available data without permission, Factiva has secured licensing agreements with all 5,000 of its content providers—a bold move in an industry still navigating copyright battles.🔹 AI-powered summaries with real licensing: Factiva’s Smart Summaries uses AI to distill key insights from trusted sources—all with publisher approval. 🔹 The copyright conundrum: While many AI models train on unlicensed content, Factiva is proving that there’s another way. But how did they get 5,000 publishers on board? 🔹 Big tech vs. media rights: We discuss Factiva’s approach to indexing 3 billion articles and what happened when Google raised an eyebrow. 🔹 AI hallucinations & security risks: What safeguards are needed to ensure AI-generated summaries are accurate and trustworthy?Factiva’s strategy could signal a major shift in how AI and media coexist, prioritizing fair compensation and content integrity.🎧 Join the conversation: ✅ Is Factiva’s model the future of AI-driven media? ✅ Should AI companies be required to license content?if you want to level up your AI skills, check out my AI Training Course for PR & Media Professionals at mediacopilot.ai.The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the podcast on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License© AnyWho Media 2025

For decades, local journalism has been in decline—shrinking budgets, newsroom closures, and disappearing community coverage have left behind what experts call "news deserts." But could AI change that? Could it actually help rebuild local news, making it more accessible, efficient, and sustainable?This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Mark Riley, former Senior VP of Innovation at Dow Jones and founder of Mathison AI, to explore how AI is reshaping the future of journalism. Mark has been at the forefront of AI-driven media transformation for years, long before ChatGPT disrupted the industry. His company, Mathison AI, has developed a tool called Hana, which generates hyperlocal newsletters at scale—delivering customized, community-specific news with just a fraction of the effort traditionally required.While this sounds like a promising breakthrough, it raises critical questions:🔹 Can AI actually replace—or enhance—local journalism? With newsrooms gutted across the country, AI-generated reporting could fill gaps, but will it uphold journalistic integrity?🔹 How do we prevent AI from creating "news slop?" Without human oversight, AI-generated content can be bland, generic, or even misleading. What safeguards are needed to ensure quality and accuracy?🔹 Who controls the future of media? As AI tools become more prevalent, Silicon Valley’s influence over journalism grows. How do we make sure AI serves the public good rather than corporate interests?🔹 The ethical dilemma of automation: AI can help scale news production, but what happens to the journalists? Is there a way to integrate AI without sacrificing jobs and local expertise?This is a conversation about AI’s potential to solve one of journalism’s biggest crises—but also a reality check on the risks that come with automating news.🎧 If you care about the future of media, press play now to hear my discussion with Mark Riley on The Media Copilot!The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the podcast on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License© AnyWho Media 2025

AI is rewriting the rules of media, but not all change is for the better. As AI slop floods the internet, the battle over quality, ethics, and authenticity has never been more urgent.This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Kate Knibbs, senior writer at Wired, to dissect the murky world of AI-powered content farms. Her investigative reporting on how SEO masterminds are snapping up legacy media domains—like The Hairpin—to churn out AI-generated slop was a wake-up call for the industry. But is it all doom and gloom?In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 How AI is being used (and misused) to scale content for cheap clicks 🔹 The evolving media landscape—how can journalism adapt and thrive? 🔹 Who, if anyone, is actually getting AI content right? 🔹 The future role of AI in journalism—tool or takeover? 🔹 The latest Thomson Reuters ruling and what it means for copyright battles in AIIf you care about the intersection of AI, media, and journalism, this conversation is a must-listen.🎧 Tune in now to explore the future of AI-powered content with Kate Knibbs of Wired!The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the podcast on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License© AnyWho Media 2025

AI is fundamentally reshaping the media landscape, but who ensures that publishers get fairly compensated for their content? As AI companies build massive language models, they often rely on vast amounts of content—much of it scraped from publishers without proper attribution or payment. This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Annelies Jansen, Chief Business Officer of ProRata AI, a company on a mission to change that. Founded by investor Bill Gross, ProRata AI is tackling one of the most pressing issues in AI and journalism: the unauthorized use of original reporting to train AI models. Their solution? A system that tracks AI-generated answers back to their original sources, ensuring publishers are recognized and compensated for their work. Unlike other startups in this space, ProRata already has dozens of publishers on board, including The Financial Times and Axel Springer. They’re not just building a tracking system—they’ve also developed their own AI-powered search engine, Gist, which grants access to premium publisher content while ensuring fair compensation. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 How ProRata AI’s model differs from other AI-compensation initiatives 🔹 The challenge of mediating AI content without stifling innovation 🔹 Why ProRata’s partnerships with publishers could redefine AI training models 🔹 The growing ecosystem of startups tackling the same problem—are they competitors or allies? As the media industry grapples with AI disruption, ProRata AI is shaping what a well-mediated, sustainable AI future could look like. If you’re interested in the future of journalism, AI ethics, and media compensation, this episode is a must-listen. For AI training tailored for media, marketing, and PR professionals, visit mediacopilot.ai to learn more about our upcoming classes. 🎧 Hit play now to explore the future of AI and media with Annelies Jansen of ProRata AI! The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License © AnyWho Media 2025

AI is changing the way people tell stories — both PR professionals and journalists. Is it possible both might lose the most important part: authenticity? The media and communications industry is undergoing a seismic shift, and AI is at the center of it. From content creation to media relations, artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how PR professionals, journalists, and storytellers operate. This week on The Media Copilot, I sat down with Dan Nestle—a longtime communications executive, AI enthusiast, and founder of Inquisitive Communications. Dan has spent years helping brands craft compelling stories, and as the host of The Trending Communicator podcast, he’s made it his mission to decode the chaos of modern communications. Unlike many in the industry, Dan has the freedom to dive deep into AI tools, experiment with emerging tech, and rethink media relations at a time when both PR professionals and journalists are using AI in ways that change the game. In this episode, we discuss: How AI is helping fuel the trend of “going direct” Why more content isn’t always the answer (and what actually works) The impact of DeepSeek and other next-gen AI tools on communications How PR professionals can balance AI-driven efficiency with authentic storytelling At a time when AI is disrupting nearly every facet of content creation, one truth remains: the human connection still matters. Dan shares his insights on how PR professionals can leverage AI without losing sight of what truly drives engagement—great storytelling. If you’re in PR, media, or content creation, this conversation is essential listening. And if you’re looking to gain hands-on experience with AI tools, check out The Media Copilot’s AI for PR & Media Professionals training course. Our next six-week cohort begins February 4, 2025, and spots are filling up. Learn more and sign up at mediacopilot.ai. Press play now to dive into the future of PR, AI, and storytelling with Dan Nestle. And if you enjoyed this conversation, I’d encourage you to follow the show on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast app that you want. Also, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a rating or review — it really does help the show. And if you’re on YouTube, don’t forget to “like” the video and subscribe to the channel 🔔

AI is transforming the newsroom, redefining how journalists gather and analyze information, and pushing the boundaries of efficiency and storytelling. This week on The Media Copilot, I’m joined by Francesco Marconi—AI pioneer, former Associated Press executive, and founder of AppliedXL, a company revolutionizing how we extract actionable insights from real-time data. Francesco’s career spans over a decade of innovating at the intersection of AI and journalism, starting in 2011 when he helped the AP leverage algorithms to turn datasets into stories, from earnings reports to sports stats. Now, at AppliedXL, Francesco is building tools that empower reporters and analysts to filter through the noise—think social networks, news websites, and endless feeds—and zero in on what truly matters. By streamlining the "gathering" part of news gathering, AI is enabling journalists to focus on deeper storytelling and analysis. In this episode, Francesco and I explore: How AI-powered tools are reshaping the newsroom's workflow. The balance between automation and human creativity in journalism. The blueprint for building an AI-first newsroom that works for—and with—journalists. Stick around until the end, where Francesco shares his daily productivity hacks using AI and offers his vision for the future of media in an AI-driven world. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss—press play now! If you're looking to dive deeper into the practical applications of AI, check out The Media Copilot’s AI training courses for media and PR professionals. Our next six-week cohort begins on February 4, 2025, offering hands-on training to help you automate workflows, craft smarter campaigns, and harness the power of AI in your day-to-day work. Learn more and sign up at mediacopilot.ai. The Media Copilot is a podcast and newsletter that explores how generative AI is changing media, journalism, and the news. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Media Copilot newsletter.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore our courses⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use AI tools, tailored for media, marketers, PR professionals, and other content creators. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on X.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the podcast on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Other podcast apps⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Favorite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License © AnyWho Media 2025