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.

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 an assistant professor in Emerson College's Writing, Literature, & Publishing department. Her research focuses on book culture and the intersection of innovation, profitability, and sustainability. She is currently examining the sustainable integration of generative and agentic artificial intelligence into the book publishing workflow. 

Her teaching emphasizes ethics and critical thinking through the examination of current issues shaping publishing, international perspectives, and the complete end-to-end publishing process.

Before joining Emerson, Sarah was most recently a Publishing Director at John Murray Press, a division of Hachette UK based in London. There she managed four imprints: Chambers, Teach Yourself, John Murray Languages, and Michel Thomas. She started her book publishing career at Cambridge University Press. 

Her publishing highlights include bestselling Rebel with a Clause (UK edition) by Ellen Jovin; Everyday Shakespeare, featuring quotes from the lesser-known corners of Shakespeare's plays and poems by Ben and David Crystal (OBE); the world's naughtiest dictionary, Words from Hell by Jess Zafarris, and books and digital products to teach over 70 languages.

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.