AI in Publishing: Editorial, Metadata, and Reader Trust

As part of BISG’s AI and the Book Publishing Industry webinar series, this session puts publishers in the spotlight—revealing what our AI industry survey uncovered about how publishing teams are actually using and thinking about AI.

BISG’s Brooke Horn will share key publisher-specific insights from the results, followed by a dynamic discussion on what the data means for the future of publishing with Sarah Cole, Assistant Professor at Emerson College and member of BISG’s AI Working Group.

Description:

Built on findings from BISG’s 2025 industry-wide survey (550+ North American respondents across the publishing supply chain), this webinar highlights what publishing professionals are reporting in practice: where AI is being incorporated into workflows, where adoption is stalling, and which concerns are shaping decisions at both the individual and organizational level. 

In a concise, data-forward presentation, we’ll share publisher-specific insights in the context of the broader market—then move into discussion focused on what the results mean for publishing operations, editorial decision-making, metadata and discoverability, and reader trust. We’ll also surface key questions the industry is still struggling to answer, helping inform BISG’s next phase of AI research and programming.

What you’ll learn:

• Where AI adoption stands—and how publishing compares with other segments
• The most common publishing-related use cases (and which areas remain rare)
• The biggest pain points publishers reported—especially around IP, hallucinations, and market flooding
• Where publishers say they most need guidance (policy, closed/enterprise models, and best practices)
• Practical implications for how publishers plan, govern, and communicate AI use in 2026

About our speaker:

SARAH COLE Assistant Professor, Emerson College

Sarah Cole is passionate about publishing as a platform for change. Her research focus is on artificial intelligence (Gen AI) & sustainability in publishing, as well as book culture, self-publishing, translation, and the art & craft of editing. 

Sarah’s teaching emphasizes critical analysis of current issues and ethics in publishing, international publishing perspectives, the complete end-to-end publishing process, strategy, and innovation.

Before joining Emerson College as an Assistant Professor in the Writing, Literature & Publishing department, Sarah was most recently a Publishing Director at John Murray Press, a division of Hachette UK. There, she managed three imprints: Chambers, Teach Yourself & John Murray Languages. Her book publishing career has taken her from New York City to London to Boston, and from educational publishing at Cambridge University Press to trade publishing at Hachette.

Sarah has been at the forefront of digital innovation in publishing, commissioning Cambridge University Press’ first fully online ELT (English Language Teaching) course and spearheading a new online learning department. At Hachette UK, she launched the first enhanced ebook, the bestselling e-commerce website, and top-selling iOs and Android apps.

Whether you’re experimenting with tools, formalizing internal guidance, or trying to understand what’s emerging across the industry, this session offers a clear, evidence-based snapshot of AI in publishing—what’s happening now, and what the data suggests comes next.