How important are these new AI features for media products?

Discover what media products added new AI features this week. Plus a look at Every, the media company of the week. And read about:

• Amazon’s Bedrock Studio makes AI simple, looks like the Custom GPT builder page

• Audible already has 40,000 books narrated by AI, and they are better than I expected

• BrightSpot and Semji partner up

• Meta’s new AI personalization tools

• NYT’s Wordle Archive (no need to wait for puzzles anymore)

• Media Company of the Week: Every

Amazon’s Bedrock Studio makes AI simple, looks like the Custom GPT builder page  

Amazon’s Bedrock Studio is making it easier for non developers to build AI apps that can still do advanced tasks. It is described as a push to democratize AI’s use in app development, making it accessible to more creators. The demo video, however, looks more confusing than helpful.

Audible already has 40,000 books narrated by AI, and they are better than I expected

Audible has over 40,000 audiobooks voiced by AI, which surprised me when I read about it this week. Obviously, AI text-to-speech tech is a cost-effective way for authors to convert their written content into audiobooks. Not every writer can afford to pay professional narrators, after all. My impression of some of these audiobooks? They were better than I imagined and didn’t sound too off emotionally. AI narrators don’t understand story context, however, and that can make it sound too unreal.

Meta’s New AI Tools

Meta has been updating its AI tools in recent months. Now, it has introduced new personalization tools that use AI to learn from user interactions and tailor content to make it more engaging and relevant.

Labrador CMS + AI

​​Labrador has integrated AI into its content management system (CMS), streamlining content creation and management processes. This integration lets users leverage AI to automate routine tasks like content analysis, which can save time and cause fewer errors. By integrating AI, Labrador is providing a more efficient tool for managing web content and improving the overall content workflow.

Microsoft and OpenAI create a $2M fund to fight AI fakes in elections

Microsoft and OpenAI have created a $2 million fund to fight misinformation generated by AI, especially in the context of elections. This initiative, named the “‘Societal Resilience Fund,”’ seeks to enhance awareness about AI’s potential impacts among communities that are particularly vulnerable to misinformation. The fund’s goal is to better inform communities so they can resist manipulative uses of AI.

Musk’s Grok is going to work for newsrooms?

Elon Musk’s new venture, Grok, is set to reshape how we consume news by using AI to analyze and interpret current events. Its goal is to give users insights that go beyond traditional news by using AI to go through vast amounts of data and finding the relevant answers. Grok hopes to offer a new layer of understanding and context, making it easier for users to grasp the nuances of complex issues and stay informed with a more analytical perspective on global events.

Substack now lets you paywall your chats (for some reason)

Substack has rolled out a new feature that lets creators make their chats exclusive to paid subscribers. This update lets creators gate specific threads or their entire chat space. Apparently, the idea is to create a supportive and close-knit community free from trolling, which could potentially increase subscriber engagement and retention. Active participants in these chats will want to keep their subscriptions because of the added value of staying in touch with the authors and other readers.

Brightspot and Semji partner up

Brightspot and Semji have partnered to create a single system that lets creators optimize their content for search engines directly and from their CMS. I have been a fan of Semji’s capabilities since I used it about 2 year ago. I recommend taking the time to connecting it to your GSC and get its report on your most promising content. Their partnership allows users to ensure their content will rank higher on search engines, helping to drive traffic without switching tools. The collaboration brings together advanced SEO analytics and content management in one place, making it easier for publishers to produce and manage high-performing content.

NYT’s Wordle Archive (no need to wait for puzzles anymore)

The New York Times has launched a Wordle archive, giving fans of the popular word game access to over 1,000 past puzzles. This archive allows users to dive into games they may have missed and enjoy the challenge at their leisure without waiting for a new daily puzzle. The New York Times hopes this move will increase the number of new visitors and keep the dedicated fans happy.

Bluesky is adding direct messaging and video

Bluesky is going to update its platform by adding direct messaging and support for video. These tools are designed to improve user interaction by allowing more personal communication and media sharing between users. 

Media Company of the Week: Every                                                         

Every started on Substack, where it was marketed as the Everything Bundle. After some early growth and feeling Substack’s limitations, its Founders, Dan Shipper and Nathan Baschez, decided to move to their own platform. This is familiar: at Refact, we have helped clients grow faster and monetize easier by creating their new website or platform and moving their previous content. 

Every has expanded beyond newsletters since they moved to their own website. They now offer a variety of content from different writers. This has made the platform richer and more diverse. They provide their writers with support like editing and marketing help, which makes it easier for their writers to focus on creating quality content.

Every uses a revenue-sharing model where money from subscriptions is split between the platform and the writers. This encourages writers to create engaging content. They also have a flexible approach to intellectual property, which depends on how much Every is involved in creating the content. This model helps build a community where writers feel valued and motivated to contribute their best work.