Publishers experiment with their own AI-powered chatbots

Many publishers remain nervous about the impact generative artificial intelligence could have on their business models, but some are developing their own AI features using the technology in an effort to grow engagement with their audiences and add value for paying subscribers. A handful of publishers are now using their content and data to “train” proprietary chatbots, which they hope will present opportunities for audiences to interact with their editorial output and brands in new and more dynamic ways. Why should audiences stop at just reading a publication when they can chat with it or put it to work on their behalf, the thinking goes.  Last week, travel industry news publisher Skift launched an AI-powered chat function called Ask Skift, which it says was trained using 11