As AI reshapes content discovery, Amanda Wigginton looks at how investing in trusted editorial brands is not simply about supporting quality publishing, and how access to trusted environments delivers commercial value.
Discovery is changing
I spend a lot of time working with media businesses to understand the value of brands and audiences. The reality is, this boils down to just one thing – human connections. Successful publisher brands build deep trust with specialist audiences through authentic quality editorial and experiences.
There is no doubt that AI summaries and LLMs are disrupting this. The content discovery funnel has fundamentally changed, and while AI tools can save time, they are changing how we find content. With approximately 50% of UK adults now using AI chatbots at least weekly, Ofcom’s latest research indicates that users are increasingly relying on AI-generated responses rather than going directly to websites.
The result is that the commercial model that has underpinned advertising and subscriptions for decades is under pressure.
Collective action is a catalyst for growth
The PPA is leading several initiatives to help publishers navigate the changes being driven by AI. While there is still work to be done, a collective approach is delivering results.
Back in February 2025, UK magazine publishers, alongside the creative industry, successfully united under the ‘Make It Fair’ campaign, stopping government plans for an automated text and data mining exemption.
Further progress was made in June this year, when the CMA introduced a Publisher Conduct Requirement against Google, giving publishers the power to opt out of AI overviews without risking search visibility.
The launch of the PPA AI Licensing Decision Making Framework signals another collective front. Publishers are prioritising how they adapt and evolve their own business models, giving them the tools they need to understand their own exposure to AI and prepare a plan of action.
Where human connections meet commercial impact
Continued investment from media agencies and advertisers is also a powerful sign of support. With AI-driven advertising set to account for 32% of total digital ad spend by 2030 (IAB), we must keep emphasising why trusted editorial brands remain essential to media plans.
Direct partnerships with magazine media brands online remain a safe harbour for agencies and advertisers. It’s an investment in loyal, authenticated audiences built on strong first-party data, combined with high-quality, context-rich environments that provide genuine brand safety.
Launched earlier this year, Atria makes those safe spaces accessible. A premium programmatic marketplace, it offers access to the UK’s most trusted editorial brands in one place, making it easy for advertisers to reach engaged, scaled audiences in brand-safe, positive environments. It puts trust and quality first, providing more effective targeting, stronger performance and measurable impact for ad campaigns.
Together, we can ensure the future of advertising remains as trusted as the content it surrounds. By choosing to invest in the safety, responsibility, and human-led quality of magazine brands, we can build a more sustainable and effective media landscape together.
