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What I Mean to Say: A Practitioner Perspective on AI, Semantics, and Content Evolution

msalvatierra

<h4 id="-"> </h4><h4 id="listen-to-the-full-episode-of-“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-&gt;-"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tinyurl.com/334p4ykt">Listen to the full episode of “The Critic’s Corner” Podcast &gt; </a></h4> <hr /> AI is now an intrinsic part of content operations, and teams are harnessing it at every level. AI agents are performing tasks across the content supply chain, and executives want more automation everywhere. Meanwhile, regulation and compliance are reshuffling the deck, putting risk front and center.In this new landscape, have the foundations of content really changed – or are they simply more exposed?On this episode of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">The Critic’s Corner podcast,</a> CMS Critic’s lead analyst and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/matt-garrepy">Chief Critic Matt Garrepy</a> talks with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/mike-spenceley">Mike Spenceley</a>, a veteran of enterprise knowledge management and content operations at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en.html">PwC</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jnj.com/">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a>, and other global, compliance‑heavy enterprises. Mike brings a rare blend of creative and operational perspective – from growing up as a drummer in a deeply musical family to leading large content programs in high‑stakes environments.Matt and Mike trace his journey from economics and finance into knowledge management just as big firms were standing up centralized functions. They unpack the familiar, persistent content cycle he’s seen for nearly two decades (centralizing, decentralizing and sprawling, then wrestling it back under control) and how AI could be the catalyst that makes content king again.<h3 id="the-human-factor-and-why-relationships-still-matter">The human factor and why relationships still matter</h3>Throughout the podcast episode, Mike argues that the foundations of content and content operations haven't changed. Institutions still want clear governance, defined ownership, and a strategy that solves real business problems. As he puts it, even as AI accelerates and tooling gets more sophisticated, the basics are non‑negotiable.“I think the important thing in this space is that the fundamentals don't go away," Mike says. "As the technology evolves and gets better, and we introduce AI to help support some of this work, the fundamentals are still there. Governance. Content ownership. You need subject matter experts from the business who have the knowledge to really contribute the content, review it periodically, and make sure it's accurate and up to date. They really play an active role in that whole process.”That human factor is just as critical on the change‑management side. Mike points out that content teams often know what “good” looks like, but can’t assume stakeholders will simply fall in line. Tools and workflows only go so far without relationships, storytelling, and a clear vision for why things must change. Content operations leaders, he argues, also have to be “relationship‑driven,” meeting business partners where they are and bringing them along on a journey rather than dictating new rules from the center. <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/UjYwXY2VXBc"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UjYwXY2VXBc" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> Drawing on nearly two decades in content strategy, Mike advocates for treating content more like structured data than just finished pages – providing a record that holds global rules and local nuance for delivering tailored experiences across websites, portals, search, and AI interfaces. Instead of rewriting similar information for every channel and audience, he frames a model where a single record becomes the source of truth, and technology handles how it’s assembled and rendered for different contexts.That philosophy leads directly to one of Mike’s favorite concepts: MVP content. Rather than starting with everything and trying to cover all the edge cases, he suggests flipping the approach and beginning with the smallest possible set of “minimum viable” content that actually solves a problem.“I've always had this idea that you should start with what I call MVP content," he says. "What is the bare minimum amount of content you need to solve this problem? And if that doesn't solve it, you can always add more later.”In large enterprises, that mindset becomes a survival skill. It reduces the volume that needs to be governed, lowers the maintenance burden on subject matter experts, and helps teams avoid the trap of sprawling FAQs and knowledge bases that no one can realistically keep current – especially when regulation and compliance are part of the equation.<h3 id="how-ai-is-making-content-king-again">How AI is making content king again</h3>From there, the conversation shifts squarely into AI. Mike and Matt examine the impact through three lenses: using AI to support the content lifecycle itself, making content readable and consumable by AI and answer engines, and governing the content that actually trains and powers generative chatbots and agentic experiences. In Mike’s view, this is where AI is putting the crown back on content in a very real, enterprise‑grade sense.“I've spoken and written about this concept of how AI is making content king again," Mike explains. “For those of us working in large enterprises, we've all known for years and years that there's just a lot of garbage content out there.”That “garbage” was always a problem, but in a search‑and‑browse world, the damage could be partially contained. Now, as organizations plug AI into those same intranets, portals, and policy libraries, the weaknesses are amplified. Slightly conflicting versions of a policy, audience‑specific nuances that aren’t labeled, or outdated documents that never got retired can all lead to risky or downright wrong answers when an AI becomes the interface.Finally, Mike and Matt dive into AI in 2026 and where it's helping to make content king again by supporting the entire lifecycle. They discuss the importance of rendering content readable for the new audience of answer engines, and governing the content that powers generative chatbots and agentic experiences. They also thread the needle with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://review.content-science.com/what-is-answer-engine-optimization-aeo/">AEO (Answer Engine Optimization),</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mx-to-the-max-tom-cranstouns-new-book-decodes-machine-experience-for-humans-and-agents">MX (Machine Experience),</a> corporate risk, and why relationships still matter more than any tool.If you’re responsible for knowledge management, content operations, CMS strategy, or AI‑driven experiences, this episode is a practical guide to which fundamentals you can’t outsource to AI – and how these new automated technologies might be putting the crown back on content.<h3 id="articles-by-mike-on-cms-critic:">Articles by Mike on CMS Critic:</h3><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-roi-trap-why-ai-needs-more-than-individual-productivity-gains">The ROI Trap: Why AI Needs More Than Individual Productivity Gains</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/an-operating-model-to-optimize-content-operations-and-probably-lots-of-other-stuff">An Operating Model to Optimize Content Operations (and Probably Lots of Other Stuff)</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/generative-ai-is-making-content-king-again">Generative AI is Making Content King Again</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-pressure-is-on-tips-for-content-teams-during-challenging-times">The Pressure is on: Tips for Content Teams During Challenging Times</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/what-it-takes-to-build-a-high-performing-content-team">What It Takes to Build a High-Performing Content Team</a></li></ul><h3 id="“the-critic’s-corner”-podcast-with-mike-spenceley">“The Critic’s Corner” Podcast with Mike Spenceley</h3> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-ai-is-making-content-king-again-with-mike-spenceley/id1801794414?i=1000783928633">Listen to the full episode &gt;</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cms-critic-the-critics-corner-podcast/id1801794414">Subscribe on Apple Podcasts &gt;</a> <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:69.05%"><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-ai-is-making-content-king-again-with-mike-spenceley/id1801794414?i=1000783928633" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/critics-corner-apple-podcast-mike-spenceley.jpg" /></a></figure> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><h4 id="open-source-cms-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26">Open Source CMS 26</a></h4>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin us for the first annual edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to making open source CMS better. This event is already being called the “missing gathering place” for the open source CMS community – an international conference with confirmed participants from Europe and North America. Be part of a friendly mix of digital leaders from notable open source CMS projects, agencies, even a few industry analysts who get together to learn, network, and talk about what really matters when it comes to creating better open source CMS projects right now and for the foreseeable future. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26/tickets">Book your tickets today.</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf"><img style="width:34.57%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/joyconf-2026-logo.png" /></a><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Storyblok JoyConf 2026</a></h4>October 28 - 29, Rheingoldhalle, Mainz (Frankfurt)JoyConf 2026 is where developers, marketers, and digital innovators come together from all around the world, united by one powerful idea: great content isn’t built by tools alone – it’s built by people who rely on systems to deliver their best work to the world. In an era where technology is increasingly shaped by AI, Content Confidence becomes your competitive advantage. When you can create, manage, and scale content that performs seamlessly across channels, platforms, and AI, you don’t just keep up – you win. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Book your seats today.</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/"><img style="width:36.36%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/sitecore-symposium-2026.png" /></a><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2026</a></h4>November 10 - 12, Orlando, FloridaWelcome to “Marketing Rewired” at Sitecore Symposium 2026! Sitecore's annual flagship global conference brings together customers, partners, developers, marketers, and digital experience leaders to explore the latest innovations in digital experience, content management, AI, personalization, and customer engagement. This year's event features keynote presentations from Sitecore executives and industry experts, product announcements, hands-on learning, technical sessions, customer success stories, and networking opportunities focused on helping organizations build more intelligent, connected, and AI-powered digital experiences. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Book your seats today.</a>

The Critic's Corner Podcast: Mike Spenceley Brings a Creative Eye to AI and Its Impact on Content Operations

cms-critic-staff

<hr /> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.author-it.com/resources/content-debt-technical-documentation">Content debt </a>isn’t like other kinds of debt. It’s quiet, sneaky, and compounds exponentially in the shadows – where no one’s the wiser. It often accrues on your website, but it can spread across your organization’s entire content ecosystem like a virus.We’ve known about content debt for a long time, lingering in the dark corners of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/google-cloud-platform">Google</a> where it can be conveniently ignored. Over time, it’s become a snowballing backlog of duplicated content, outdated topics, poorly structured text and terminology, and undocumented features. Like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_debt">technical debt </a>in software development, content debt charges you interest. And that hefty bill pumps an invisible brake on your operations, wasting your team’s resources and hurting both your search engine rankings and AI search visibility. And at a moment when <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/31/google-search-publishers-seo-geo-llms-ai">traffic is dying on the vine</a> – and more customers are turning to answer engines like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://search.google/ways-to-search/ai-overviews/">Google AI Overviews</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT</a> – it’s become a critical liability. But exactly how big is this problem? That’s what <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/lp/ft-longitude-content-debt-report">new research from Storyblok</a> endeavored to find out. The CMS vendor collaborated with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://longitude.ft.com/">FT Longitude (an arm of The Financial Times)</a> to shed some light on this question. And what they found ain’t pretty. According to a survey of 550 senior executives at organizations with at least $1 billion in annual global revenue, content debt is costing enterprises $4.63 trillion worldwide. You read that right: $4.63 trillion. That's bigger than Japan's GDP. A jaw-dropping stat by any measure.The question is: how do we even begin to pay down this debt?<h3 id="ai-search-exposed-the-problem-–-and-made-it-worse">AI search exposed the problem – and made it worse</h3>Prior to the modern AI explosion, content debt was out of sight and out of mind. Businesses could bury their old or low-quality content simply by de-indexing it, removing it from their navigation, or allowing only their most optimized pages to appear in search. So it persisted – but there were fewer routes to access it.But AI has, for all intents and purposes, blown this up. LLMs are like bloodhounds, sniffing their way to inaccurate information that’s often obscured or even forgotten. This could be old product data or misrepresented pricing that could surface in an AI search, resulting in poor customer experiences. And because organizations can’t directly control what an LLM surfaces, this content is proving to be a liability. As noted, this financial impact is harrowing. But the report also revealed some other compelling metrics. For example, 67% of executives say that poor content quality or structure is reducing their visibility in search and AI-driven discovery. A clear sign that enterprise leaders understand what’s happening and what’s at stake.Respondents also indicate that there's an average of $663.4 million in content debt per company, and they’re spending roughly $4.8 million fixing the problems – and that’s 34% of the total content spend.  <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:82.43%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/image.png" /></figure>Source: “Content Debt: A $4.63 Trillion Business Liability” report While the data includes a global sample, the U.S. dwarfs the rest of the world in its share of content debt. That’s not surprising given the density of companies in the region. But most large enterprises have multinational interests, and content debt is likely being amplified globally from the source. <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:80.86%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/image-1786503786276.png" /></figure>Source: “Content Debt: A $4.63 Trillion Business Liability” report There’s also some interesting data on a granular level. For example, executives in the Netherlands report the highest revenue impact from inaccurate or out-of-date content. Meanwhile, when viewed through an industry lens, this same problem disproportionately impacts the education industry. A likely conclusion? Many higher ed websites offer course materials or curriculum details that change frequently, and there’s likely a glut of digital residue left behind. As a result, education organizations report the highest proportion of content budget dedicated to addressing inaccurate or out-of-date content – and you can see below how this stacks up to other industries. <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:82.64%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/image-1786503786350.png" /></figure>Source: “Content Debt: A $4.63 Trillion Business Liability” report <h3 id="enterprise-leaders-are-finally-addressing-the-content-problem-">Enterprise leaders are finally addressing the content problem </h3>So who’s responsible for this crushing, out-of-control content debt? There’s plenty of blame to go around, but the bottom line is that brands weren’t motivated to solve the problem because they simply didn’t feel it. Now, after decades of letting it metastasize, enterprise leaders and executives are finally seeing the light. According to the research, 69% say outdated or inconsistent content is making it harder for customers to find, trust, or act on their information.It gets worse. The same number say that the lack of visibility into their content is creating a compliance risk for their organization, while 67% say poor content quality or structure is weakening their discoverability in AI search. This tracks with my own coverage of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lutzfinger/2025/06/19/answer-engine-optimization-aeo--what-brands-need-to-know/">AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)</a> becoming a boardroom mandate, and how enterprise leaders are demanding enhanced content strategies as part of the new marketing playbook.  Additionally, 89% of respondents say that improving the quality, structure, and governance of their content would deliver measurable business value for their organization. They’re already trying to do this, with organizations spending (on average) 105.4 hours each week maintaining existing content. <figure class="image image_resized" style="width:81.83%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/08/image-1786503786301.png" /></figure>Source: “Content Debt: A $4.63 Trillion Business Liability” report Perhaps the most troubling data point concerns the sheer volume of content that most enterprises are grappling with. According to the data, 78% of respondents say their organization has more digital content than it can realistically maintain as accurate, relevant, and up-to-date. That’s scary.<h3 id="can-the-content-debt-crisis-be-solved?">Can the content debt crisis be solved?</h3>In the report, there’s a question posed to a C-level technology executive, asking what they would do if they had an extra $1 million per year to spend on content. Their answer: “The first investment would be AI tools that update outdated content automatically, so customers always receive fresh and correct information.”This crystallizes the urgency and friction that leaders face when coping with the content debt crisis. But spending more on technology and remediation may not be the answer. Instead, enterprises should prioritize efficiency over reactive buying or strategies.Further, 69% of executives agree that improving their content strategy is more of a technical challenge than a creative one, suggesting that teams are being held back by their CMS and tech stack, not by a skills gap.Governance is also a critical part of the solution, and it helps reinforce the idea of “content confidence.” According to the research, organizations that are less affected by content debt have a higher degree of control over their enterprise content operations, from publishing to managing. Those with the highest confidence are less likely to have their systems and workflows limit their responsiveness, and more likely to exceed their financial targets than those with lower confidence.<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>As I heard repeatedly at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect26">Boye &amp; Company CMS Connect 26</a> conference in Montreal, the answer to our marketing woes isn’t more content – it’s better content.“For decades, publishing as much content as possible, hoping it ranks in search, and letting the content and platforms decay has been a business strategy,” said <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/dominik-angerer">Dominik Angerer,</a> CEO of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/storyblok">Storyblok</a>. “It felt good at the time, just like loading up a credit card with a bunch of impulsive purchases and not thinking about the true cost of the debt. But now AI has exposed the scope of the problem, and it can’t be ignored anymore. The bill is past due.”AI has indeed exposed and exacerbated this problem. But how can brands make a dent in a debt the size of Japan’s GDP? As Dominik said, just as consumers need to develop a plan to pay off debt, brands need a “content debt recovery plan” to eliminate the burden. “The fact that they’re already spending so much time and money maintaining content and it isn’t decreasing the overall effects of content debt in a meaningful way proves that what they’re doing isn’t working,” he added. “The companies that audit all of their content, implement new ways of managing it, and measure the results will have confidence that their content is accurate, optimized, visible, and driving revenue in AI and every channel that’s important to them.”In the age of AI, brands are fighting for more than visibility. They're fighting for their lives. Having your content ready to serve an audience of machines is the new imperative, and this data reinforces the scope of the problem we face. Now, we need to take action. And that starts by removing the invisible brake – and hitting the accelerator.  <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><h4 id="open-source-cms-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26">Open Source CMS 26</a></h4>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin us for the first annual edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to making open source CMS better. This event is already being called the “missing gathering place” for the open source CMS community – an international conference with confirmed participants from Europe and North America. Be part of a friendly mix of digital leaders from notable open source CMS projects, agencies, even a few industry analysts who get together to learn, network, and talk about what really matters when it comes to creating better open source CMS projects right now and for the foreseeable future. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26/tickets">Book your tickets today.</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf"><img style="width:34.57%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/joyconf-2026-logo.png" /></a><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Storyblok JoyConf 2026</a></h4>October 28 - 29, Rheingoldhalle, Mainz (Frankfurt)JoyConf 2026 is where developers, marketers, and digital innovators come together from all around the world, united by one powerful idea: great content isn’t built by tools alone – it’s built by people who rely on systems to deliver their best work to the world. In an era where technology is increasingly shaped by AI, Content Confidence becomes your competitive advantage. When you can create, manage, and scale content that performs seamlessly across channels, platforms, and AI, you don’t just keep up – you win. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.storyblok.com/joyconf">Book your seats today.</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/"><img style="width:36.36%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/07/sitecore-symposium-2026.png" /></a><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2026</a></h4>November 10 - 12, Orlando, FloridaWelcome to “Marketing Rewired” at Sitecore Symposium 2026! Sitecore's annual flagship global conference brings together customers, partners, developers, marketers, and digital experience leaders to explore the latest innovations in digital experience, content management, AI, personalization, and customer engagement. This year's event features keynote presentations from Sitecore executives and industry experts, product announcements, hands-on learning, technical sessions, customer success stories, and networking opportunities focused on helping organizations build more intelligent, connected, and AI-powered digital experiences. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Book your seats today.</a>

An ‘Invisible Brake’ on AI? New Research Suggests Content Debt is a $4.63 Trillion Liability

matt-garrepy

Diving Deep with Palmata: Contentful Uplevels AEO to Help Brands Understand and Influence AI Discoverability

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Life after FAIR? Don’t despair. The pivot to TYPO3 could unlock the future of open source CMS

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/isabellaotero">Bastian Sirvend</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/dan-drapeau"> </a>is a CMS/DXP expert and analyst, founder of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sutsche.com/">SUTSCHE</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.enhancely.ai/">enhancely.ai</a>, and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> We’ve installed <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.cloudflare.com/emdash-wordpress/">EmDash, Cloudflare’s new open-source CMS,</a> which was released on April 1st. No joke, even if the timing looked like one. Naturally, we were curious, as LinkedIn and the like were bursting at the seams with posts about EmDash’s tech and functionality, and how it’s supposedly the “WordPress killer.”Since we’d already got it up and running, we went straight to building a plugin for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.enhancely.ai/">enhancely.ai</a>, our automation platform that addresses a critical gap in web content: broken or missing structured data. It instantly generates schema markup, enabling AI tools like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chatgpt.com/">ChatGPT</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.perplexity.ai/">Perplexity</a> to better understand website content without requiring manual rewrites.Automated schema markup without an editor having to lift a finger. I'm happy to report that it all worked: A fully functional CMS in what felt like an hour, with a plugin created and packaged. We even found a bug in EmDash along the way, fixed it, and submitted a pull request. What a day.And ever since then, one question has been on my mind: how will this change the way we select a CMS? There's a lot to unpack here, but let's start with how we've been doing it up until now — and why I believe EmDash is changing things. <h3 id="how-to-select-a-cms:-the-sutsche-approach">How to select a CMS: The SUTSCHE approach</h3>When our team at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sutsche.com/">SUTSCHE</a> supports clients in selecting a system, we consider the decision from five different angles: <ol><li>How well does the system meet the functional requirements? </li><li>How does it fit into the overall picture, both technically and architecturally? </li><li>How does it perform within the ecosystem, in integrations, and in interfaces? </li><li>What are the financial and strategic implications — both now and in three years? </li><li>And how will it actually be adopted and operated by the people within the organisation?</li></ol><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:93.64%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/04/bildschirmfoto-2026-04-03-um-22.png" /></figure>Five comprehensive dimensions. Not just a checklist.That's always been our approach. Because choosing a CMS isn’t just about features. It’s a decision about the foundation on which a company builds its content. It’s about the paths that lead to the website or shop, not just a piece of software where you tick boxes. Ultimately, it’s a project you’re buying, and that is far more complex than mere functionality.Then <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro">MCP servers</a> were introduced. A new kind of functionality that's operating on a different level from standard functions that are carried out manually. In short, more than just APIs. Suddenly, tasks that had previously been carried out by hand – content migration, schema adjustments, repetitive administrative tasks — could be handled by agents. The CMS could now be controlled remotely. Manual processes that had been time-consuming for years could suddenly be automated. We've taken this into account in our assessment. A new dimension, a proven framework. Good. That makes sense.<h3 id="but-with-the-release-of-emdash,-something-different-happened-for-me…">But with the release of EmDash, something different happened for me…</h3>Not because it’s MCP-compatible. Not because it’s built on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://astro.build/">Astro</a> or MIT-licensed or can run on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cloudflare.com/">Cloudflare</a>. Because it was built in two months. By an experienced developer, to be sure. And using AI agents. But still, two months for a complete CMS with an admin panel, plugin system, authentication, migration tool, and MCP server?The step from “agents controlling a CMS” to “agents building a CMS” sounds big. It isn’t anymore.Because it means that features that are still missing today will be there tomorrow, and just a few prompts away. The gap between systems — the gap that has structured the selection process for years — isn’t collapsing dramatically. It’s simply shrinking quietly. And other things that should concern customers within the five dimensions are becoming increasingly important.<h3 id="and-this-is-precisely-where-i-ask-myself,-‘how-does-this-change-the-way-we-make-decisions?’">And this is precisely where I ask myself, ‘How does this change the way we make decisions?’</h3>The functional dimension — does the system have feature X, to what standard, to what extent — has long been the loudest voice in the selection process. It isn’t going to disappear. But it is becoming less prominent. Because the argument that “our competitor doesn’t have that yet” is losing its impact more quickly. Anyone who thinks this is just theory is mistaken. From my own experience, I can say that the author of this document has created a fully functional website based on a CMS using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview">Claude Code,</a> the documentation for some fairly significant CMS platforms, a template/style guide, and a healthy dose of curiosity. Including a few functional enhancements.Let’s shift perspective and move up a level here, too. While I was moderating a product presentation, the question popped up in a chat: “Please don’t stone me, but what exactly is the difference between <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/typo3">TYPO3</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/umbraco">Umbraco</a>?” An absolutely valid question at first, but one participant’s answer astonished me. “It's the technology stack," they said.Yes, that's true. TYPO3 is PHP, while Umbraco is .NET. But are these still real differentiators? The arguments had already been watered down when it came to clients using agencies to do the programming work. With SaaS, this has been further diluted. And now? In times when IBM shares are plummeting because Claude Code can also speak <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COBOL">COBOL</a>, migrating from one technology stack to the next is really just a matter of a prompt and a couple of sharp glances (my old math teacher always used to say when simplifying complex equations, “you just need to take a sharp look once, and then you’ve got it”). Of course, that’s an exaggeration. There’s still quite a bit involved — but the hurdle is eroding more and more.<h3 id="what-remains-are-the-other-four-dimensions-of-decision-making.-and-i-believe-they-are-becoming-more-important-–-not-less-so.">What remains are the other four dimensions of decision-making. And I believe they are becoming more important – not less so.</h3>Who do I entrust my content foundation to in the long term? Who will still be supporting the system in three years? What ecosystem is growing around it? Which partners, which community, which integrations? How does it fit into the organization, into the teams, into the actual work processes? These aren’t new questions. But they’re coming to the forefront. And as I think about it further while writing this, I come to the conclusion that, in the end, it’s still the people, agencies, and project stakeholders who have to bring it to life. No matter what “it” turns out to be. Even with incredibly impressive AI support in feature development, the piece of software must fit into the organization, the IT landscape, and the client’s processes — or find a place there.And as I think about this further, my talk with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/janus-boye">Janus Boye</a> at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://aarhus25.boye-co.com/">Boye Aarhus 25 Conference</a> might become even more important. The point was that, due to the development of AI and the lack of adaptation on the part of customers, something needs to change along the entire value chain.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:89.26%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/04/boye_adoptiongap.png" /></figure> In my view, the role of agencies needs to change dramatically, away from pure development and away from being a “workshop” and towards becoming consultants. The new agency helps clients with organizational development and process optimization. It helps clients to measure and evaluate what has been built and produced, and then to adapt, refine, and optimize it — so that it works even better for them.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:89.44%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/04/boye_adoptiongap2.png" /></figure> In my presentation, I outlined the role of vendors as enablers. They empower agencies to use the software to ask the right questions of the client and to initiate change, so that the software can truly make a difference. In my view, we may need to rethink or re-evaluate the role of vendors. Beyond a controlled development process, it is perhaps the establishment and empowerment, knowledge transfer, and network design that ultimately bring an ecosystem to life and make the difference. The entire interplay of technology, processes, and collaboration. A genuine network.EmDash currently has no satisfactory answer (at least not yet) to most of the points we consider when selecting systems and what we’ve discussed. Version 0.1.0 is just version 0.1.0. It’s been “on the market” since 2026. No ecosystem. No community. No track record. And I don’t see it as a WordPress killer, either. And as I said, this isn’t based on functionality, tech stack, or anything like that. However, it is a demonstration of what is technically possible. And for some use cases, it’s already a valid choice (quickly creating a landing page, setting up satellite sites, putting up a blackout page, testing a prototype).For us at SUTSCHE, this means we’ve been asking the right questions all along. Not because we foresaw it, but because a structured decision has always been about more than just a list of features. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:34.15%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/logo_jday_hor.png" /><h4 id="joomladay-usa-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/">JoomlaDay USA 2026</a></h4>April 29 - May 2, 2026 – Delray Beach, FloridaBe part of the Joomla community in one of the most iconic cities in the world! JoomlaDay USA 2026 is coming to Delray Beach, and you can join us for a dynamic event packed with insights, workshops, and networking opportunities. Learn from top Joomla experts and developers offering valuable insights and real-world solutions. Participate in interactive workshops and sessions and enhance your skills in Joomla management, development, design, and more. And connect with fellow Joomla enthusiasts, developers, and professionals from across the world.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jdayusa.com/"> Book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.06%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/cms-summit-26-logo.jpg" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26">CMS Summit 26</a></h4>May 12-13, 2026 – Frankfurt, GermanyThe best conferences create space for honest, experience-based conversations. Not sales pitches. Not hype. Just thoughtful exchanges between people who spend their days designing, building, running, and evolving digital experiences. CMS Summit brings together people who share real stories from their work and platforms and who are interested in learning from each other on how to make things better. Over two days in Frankfurt, you can expect practitioner-led talks grounded in experience, conversations about trade-offs, constraints, and decisions, and time to compare notes with peers facing similar challenges. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit26/tickets">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:30.13%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1765546475634.png" /><h4 id="umbraco-codegarden-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Umbraco Codegarden 2026</a></h4>June 10–11, 2026 – Copenhagen, DKJoin us in Copenhagen (or online) for the biggest Umbraco conference in the world – two full days of learning, genuine conversations, and the kind of inspiration that brings business leaders, developers, and digital creators together. Codegarden 2026 is packed with both business and tech content, from deep-dive workshops and advanced sessions to real-world case studies and strategy talks. You’ll leave with ideas, strategies, and knowledge you can put into practice immediately. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://codegarden.umbraco.com/">Book your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:36.69%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2026/01/open-source-cms-26.jpg" /><h4 id="open-source-cms-26"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26">Open Source CMS 26</a></h4>October 20–21, 2026 – Utrecht, NetherlandsJoin us for the first annual edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to making open source CMS better. This event is already being called the “missing gathering place” for the open source CMS community – an international conference with confirmed participants from Europe and North America. Be part of a friendly mix of digital leaders from notable open source CMS projects, agencies, even a few industry analysts who get together to learn, network, and talk about what really matters when it comes to creating better open source CMS projects right now and for the foreseeable future. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/opensourcecms26/tickets">Book your tickets today.</a>

After EmDash — what am I actually buying when I choose a CMS?

bastiansirvend

Power your CMS on AWS

Manage your websites & apps in the most trusted cloud.

#ffffff

Narrative Content: Storytelling Over Time

deane

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/michael-spenceley">Michael Spenceley</a> is Leader, Learning &amp; Content Standards - Innovative Medicine at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jnj.com/">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a> and a CMS Critic Contributor. <hr /> Most organizations understand <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-operations">content operations</a>, even if there are differences in how it's executed. Generally speaking, it's the foundation of people, processes, and technology that enables a brand to manage its content at scale across a multitude of channels. But it's also a living, breathing activity that requires continuous maintenance and consideration. Regardless of how you navigate the ebb and flow of creating, reviewing, publishing, and managing your content, there are fundamentals that almost every model shares – and areas where things can be optimized and improved.In my years of managing content across large enterprises with distributed teams in highly regulated industries, I've formulated an operating model for optimizing content operations. Not only has it proven very successful in content applications, but it also has the potential to improve collaboration, support strategic goals, and enhance other facets of your business operations.<h3 id="why-is-this-important?">Why is this important?</h3>You may already intuitively think about your operation in this way. However, this structure provides a clear path for continuing to optimize your operation over a longer period. It also gives your team and your broader organization a clear language to articulate where and how work gets done today and a roadmap to get it to where it should be in the future. While I’ve framed this concept in the context of content operations, most of it likely applies to any service delivery operation across a wide range of processes and industries.  <h3 id="what-is-it?">What is it?</h3>This model provides a clear set of options for how work gets done, where it gets done, and who does it – with a focus on ensuring that the how, where, and who is fit for purpose based on the nature of the work. Here is an example of a tiered operating model: <ul><li>Tier 1 – Stays with the business<ul><li>Mostly strategic work that requires a high level of business or product subject matter expertise</li><li>Highest cost tier </li></ul></li><li>Tier 2 – Centralized content services<ul><li>Mix of tactical and strategic, requires moderate level of business or product subject matter expertise, significant content strategy expertise, and proximity to business stakeholders in tier 1</li><li>Lower cost tier</li></ul></li><li>Tier 3 – Outsource/Offshore<ul><li>Mostly transactional, requires low level of business or product subject matter expertise but still requires human intervention</li><li>Low-cost tier</li></ul></li><li>Tier 4 – Automate<ul><li>Transactional, repeatable and requires minimal human intervention</li><li>Lowest cost tier </li></ul></li></ul><h3 id="how-do-you-do-it?">How do you do it?</h3>It’s worth mentioning at this point that all the steps below shouldn’t be done in isolation; they should all be done in partnership with business stakeholders who currently own and interact with these processes. <ol><li>Start by defining the tiers in your model. Determine which tiers already exist and then consider tiers you need in the future that you may not have today.</li><li>Document processes, activities, and tasks that are done in each tier today. It’s up to you how granular you get. If your processes are complex, you’re going to need more granularity. If you plan to split certain activities across tiers, you’re going to need more granularity to understand which parts of the process should sit in different tiers. </li><li>Estimate your cost for each tier. This can be as simple as an average hourly rate by tier.</li><li>Based on cost and complexity of the work in each tier today, consider where you have opportunities to centralize, optimize and move work down the tiers. Work can move down the tiers over time, or it can skip tiers depending on the nature of the work. </li></ol><h3 id="how-might-this-help-you?-">How might this help you? </h3>It provides a roadmap to take in new work in a structured way, and it shows your business partners that you’re willing to collaborate in a way that acknowledges what they value, their pain points, and their appetite for change. In the beginning, you may be focused on work that’s perceived as tactical or tedious that you don’t want to do, but that gives you an opportunity to centralize, standardize and optimize it. This opens the door to begin a conversation about taking on more strategic and impactful work. This doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey.  <h3 id="watchouts">Watchouts</h3>Here are some common pitfalls to be aware of as you consider implementing your version of this model:<ul><li>Don’t create unnecessary handoffs. Be thoughtful about splitting up related activities across different tiers. Sometimes it makes sense to keep certain activities together.</li><li>As you implement, you’re moving work between teams, between vendors, and maybe between countries. This is a delicate process that requires a focus on managing and leading through the change.</li><li>While there will be challenges and a learning curve, once a process moves from one tier to another and is stabilized, it should be better than it was before. This isn’t just about cost; it’s about optimization of both the process and the experience of everyone who interacts with that process.</li><li>Make sure your lower-cost tiers (especially automation) actually cost less. If it costs you millions of dollars to build an AI to do a task that a human can do for a few thousand dollars per year, it may not be worth it – at least not yet. As AI becomes more advanced and cheaper, that time will come.</li><li>If you come across activities that just don’t make sense, always question it. Don’t try to optimize something that shouldn’t be done at all.    </li></ul> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

An Operating Model to Optimize Content Operations (and Probably Lots of Other Stuff)

mike-spenceley

Not All Heroes Wear Capes. Here's Why CMS Is Your 'Unsung Hero' in 2025

janus-boye

<a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/michael-spenceley">Michael Spenceley</a> is Leader, Learning &amp; Content Standards - Innovative Medicine at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jnj.com/">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a> and a CMS Critic Contributor. <hr />If you're a content professional, you've likely spent much of your career focused on how to govern the accuracy and quality of content. As Generative AI (Gen AI) has entered our collective corporate consciousness, our content is now under a microscope. If you have outdated or inaccurate content, Gen AI will bring it into focus for all to see. On one hand, this will lead to uncomfortable conversations for those who are responsible for the accuracy of content, but this also presents a significant opportunity for content professionals. Here's a conversation I’ve had a few times lately: Business Leader: “We have all this content, if we put it in a Gen AI tool, won’t that make it easier for people to get answers, reduce call center volume and create a better experience for our employees and customers?”Technologist: "Yeah, we can do that. We can integrate your CMS or knowledgebase with our Gen AI platform."Business Leader: “Michael, what do you think?”Me: "Well, I think there are more questions we need to ask. Do we have quality content to feed into the Gen AI experience? Do we have the right level of governance to ensure accuracy? Do we have clear roles and responsibilities for those who own content feeding into Gen AI? Is the ROI sufficient to invest the time and money to do this right?”  Business leaders are now recognizing the importance of good content to enable an effective Gen AI experience for employees and customers. Getting content governance right, especially in large organizations, takes lots of people, rigorous processes, clear roles and responsibilities and accountability. Here are three things all content professionals should focus on as Gen AI initiatives take center stage: <h3 id="1.-keep-moving,-even-when-it's-not-perfect">1. Keep moving, even when it's not perfect</h3>Be agile and be okay with imperfection. If you wait to use Gen AI until you've solved all your content governance problems, you will never start. Come up with an approach that works for your organization.  I see it as a two-pronged approach. First, what steps do you take right now to keep Gen AI moving? At this stage, you don't know what will work so keep it simple. Second, while you're doing that, plan for the long-term. To scale your approach, what tech do you need, what integrations and what processes need to be in place? Here’s a real example of what I’ve tried in my organization:When we need content for a new Gen AI use case, we follow this process:<ul><li>Identify – Identify relevant content that already exists. </li><li>Validate – Analyze content to ensure we have the most current version and it’s the correct level of detail.</li><li>Remediate – Work with subject matter experts to update content that is out of date and create new content to fill any gaps.</li><li>Extract – Technical team extracts content from our source system to ingest into Gen AI. </li><li>Monitor &amp; Update – Leverage existing reporting and processes to determine when content needs to be updated in the Gen AI tool.</li></ul>This is a largely manual process, but it works for now and as we refine it, we're planning for how best to scale it in the future and reduce manual effort through integrations and automation. <h3 id="2.-get-the-right-people-involved-">2. Get the right people involved </h3>If you're a content professional or a SME who owns content, speak up and get involved in Gen AI initiatives. You know things that are important to this process that others may not know. If you're not a content professional and you're on the technical side of Gen AI, don't go it alone. While you can probably get your hands on some content to start, there is a chance that there's a lot you don't know about the content. When assessing content for accuracy and relevance, there can be many nuances, especially in large global organizations. Additionally, content teams already have processes in place to source and update content, and they have relationships with the subject matter experts who can validate content. Rely on content professionals and SMEs to tell you which content is ready for Gen AI and what steps need to be taken to prepare content. Here’s a real example of what I’ve tried in my organization:We established weekly touchpoints that include a combination of content, IT and business process owners. The content team drives the identify, validate, remediate, extract, and monitor process. The content team works with SMEs and content owners to validate content accuracy and remediate gaps. Our IT partners ingest content into the Gen AI tool and train the model. This ensures that this work is connected to our existing content governance process and isn't seen as additional work for content and process owners. We have one source of truth, one process and one governance model for content. Gen AI is just an additional channel where the content is being consumed. This could change in the future, but leveraging existing processes and infrastructure is an effective way to get things moving quickly.    <h3 id="3.-seize-the-opportunity-to-get-resources-and-support">3. Seize the opportunity to get resources and support</h3>In large organizations, content governance has often not gotten the time and attention it deserves, beyond a small group of content professionals. In the short time I've been working on this, I have learned that this connection between content and the success of Gen AI, is logical but isn't always obvious. It's on us, as content professionals, to speak up, get involved and make the case. Here’s a real example of what I’ve tried in my organization:We engaged with leaders and content owners to help them understand how our content will make or break our journey with Gen AI and are weaving Gen AI into our strategic vision for the future of content. We’re defining requirements for how our content needs to be structured and stored in the future to enable a good Gen AI experience.  Specifically, how to simplify and componentize content with component-level metadata. We’re also defining future-state content governance and what that takes from a resource standpoint. This includes how we drive greater accountability and create clearer roles and responsibilities for our content professionals and content owners to ensure content accuracy. <h3 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h3>As with anything new, there are still more questions than answers. Here are a few questions that content professionals should be thinking about:<ul><li>I’ve been on a mission to promote the idea that less content is more. Will a minimalist approach to content work in the age of Gen AI? </li><li>Many people challenge the accuracy of information coming from Gen AI. What role might content professionals play to change that perception? </li><li>Will content structure, metadata and governance still matter as Gen AI gets more advanced?</li></ul>I’m sure we’ll continue to debate these questions in the coming years. This space is evolving quickly, and I'm confident there will be advancements to make it easier in the future. Given the technology and resource constraints that all organizations are dealing with, these are some practical things to consider as you embark on your Gen AI journey. For now, it’s going to be messy, and that’s okay. Seize this opportunity to elevate your role as a content professional in your organization.    <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

Generative AI is Making Content King Again

Untangling the CMS market in 2024

<hr /> Skip the intro and directly access my <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/Responsible-AI-Guidelines-For-Content-Teams">downloadable Responsible AI Principle worksheet</a> for your team now.<h3 id="an-introduction-to-responsible-ai-for-digital-marketing-teams">An Introduction to Responsible AI for Digital Marketing Teams</h3>In today's digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly become a cornerstone of marketing strategies and tactics, driving innovation and efficiency across various tasks that marketers must complete. However, as AI technology becomes increasingly integrated into digital marketing teams, the need for ethical guidelines and responsible usage is also becoming increasingly crucial.I’m just going to say it: As powerful as AI is, in my opinion, content creation and digital teams are rushing headstrong into using tools like <a target="_blank" href="https://chat.openai.com/">ChatGPT</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://copilot.microsoft.com/">Copilot</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://gemini.google.com/">Gemini</a> without considering how to use them responsibly. I think there is a need to have a prudent approach and set of guidelines in place to ensure these tools are integrated correctly into their content operations. Does your digital marketing team have an AI Policy in use? Mine didn’t. In fact, I’d wager that most teams haven’t even prioritized having such a policy. I believe it’s time to start thinking about implementing one. Below is some context and background that may help. I’ve also listed some of the main factors you should consider when developing guidelines for your team's responsible use of AI.<h3 id="the-rise-of-ai-in-digital-marketing">The Rise of AI in Digital Marketing</h3>AI has revolutionized the marketing landscape, offering tools that can write content, translate from one language to another, automate content delivery, and optimize campaign performance. These advancements have enabled digital marketing teams to achieve high levels of efficiency, leading to more effective writing and improved ROI. CMS platforms and tools such as <a target="_blank" href="http://kontent.ai">Kontent.ai</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sitecore.com/">Sitecore</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kentico.com">Kentico</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentful.com/">Contentful</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.optimizely.com/">Optimizely</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.storyblok.com/">Storyblok</a>, etc., are all rushing as fast as possible to add more value with AI-enabled features in their products. I’ve seen it firsthand in many of them. All of these platforms want to be seen as the market leader in the space through AI innovation.In fact, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.futurepedia.io/ai-tools/marketing">Futurepedia</a>, a tool that tracks new AI tools as they come on the market, has over 211 AI tools listed in the Digital Marketing category.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:83.28%"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXftvTU4IabsW3KwL1ga2eWKlnhaDjSgAxG64tQEQ8O_vHarNdLMXPU70heYHuek2Loa9bVU5ln_WmC8Da2JE_QKs8avuqLGXZ6I8l1tmTE_rb0GS-8OhSoqZRQPubq6c1S2cUvye4yoQJMEY3uM996fRQLd?key=CLw_KJ6KxDiqOvRg30VM1w" /></figure> Heck, by the time I publish this article, there will probably be 212 or more listed. The pace of change and innovation is impressive. However, with great power comes great responsibility. The reliance on AI-driven tools necessitates a framework that ensures these technologies are used correctly, both from a vendor perspective and a digital team perspective.How do we place some governance on all this change? The answer is to be prudent in the approach to AI by leveraging Responsible AI as a core theme.<h3 id="what-is-responsible-ai?">What Is Responsible AI?</h3>Responsible AI refers to the development and use of artificial intelligence in ways that prioritize ethical, fair, and safe outcomes. Major tech companies like Google, Meta, IBM, and Microsoft emphasize that organizations should follow a set of key principles when leveraging AI. The principles listed below are the most common ones I see. They combine to be a set of guiding principles when using AI.<h3 id="six-key-principles-when-leveraging-ai">Six Key Principles When Leveraging AI</h3><ol><li>Fairness: AI systems should treat all people fairly.</li><li>Reliability and safety: AI systems should perform reliably and safely.</li><li>Privacy and security: AI systems should be secure and respect privacy.</li><li>Inclusiveness: AI systems should empower everyone and engage people.</li><li>Transparency: AI systems should be understandable.</li><li>Accountability: People should be accountable for AI systems.</li></ol>I actually completely agree with the way that Microsoft and others have laid this out. All of those large tech giants have complex resource sites or large PDFs that spell out even more detail around the idea of Responsible AI. The challenge is that these resources are extensive. As an example, the <a target="_blank" href="https://ai.meta.com/static-resource/responsible-use-guide/">Meta Responsible AI guide</a> is over 25 pages. Motivating myself to read all of that or browse multiple pages on the Microsoft Responsible AI site is hard enough. I can’t see my team or my client’s team going through all of that information. That’s why I really like focusing on the main six principles above.I believe that having a responsible approach to using or producing any AI tool in an organization is critical. It is also something that is needed in digital marketing/content teams as well. That’s why I started down this path. I wanted to put a policy in place at my own agency, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bizstream.com">BizStream</a>. <h3 id="why-an-ai-policy-is-essential">Why an AI Policy is Essential</h3>Adopting AI in digital marketing isn't just about leveraging new technologies for improved outcomes; it's also about acknowledging and mitigating the potential risks associated with AI's autonomy and influence. Issues such as data privacy, bias, and the chances of hallucinations (errors by a generative AI tool) pose significant challenges. Without a comprehensive AI policy, organizations risk breaching ethical standards, violating customer trust, and potentially facing legal consequences.In fact, to me, the clearest example of where generative AI can go wrong is the published information around <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2024/02/18/air-canada-airline-chatbot-ruling/">Air Canada’s chatbot failure</a>. An earlier ruling this year ended in favor of the end customer, and now Air Canada is on the hook for AI that was not used responsibly.An AI policy serves as a guiding beacon for digital marketing teams, ensuring that every AI-driven initiative is aligned with ethical principles and corporate values. It helps establish clear boundaries and standards for AI usage and addresses concerns like fairness, transparency, and accountability.<h3 id="the-role-of-principles-in-ai-deployment">The Role of Principles in AI Deployment</h3>Drawing inspiration from established frameworks like Microsoft’s six principles for responsible AI—fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability—digital marketing teams can develop a robust policy that governs AI use. These principles are not just theoretical ideals; they can be necessities that shape how AI tools are selected, deployed, and managed within a team.As digital marketing continues to evolve with AI advancements, having a well-defined, responsible AI policy should reduce friction with AI usage. It can ensure that while organizations pursue technological innovation, they remain steadfast in their commitment to ethical practices, full transparency, and working within societal norms.<h3 id="my-responsible-ai-principles-worksheet">My Responsible AI Principles Worksheet</h3>Bringing us back to my situation specifically, as 2024 has progressed, I witnessed more and more AI tools being used by my team. On the one hand, this was great because we were seeing the benefits firsthand of faster content creation on our website, email, and social media channels. On the other hand, I was getting a little concerned about two things. First, as more tools were added to our digital marketing stack, my SaaS tool spend was climbing quickly, and second, I questioned if all of these tools being used safely and responsibly.In an effort to ensure my own team at BizStream is adequately trained on the benefits and risks associated with using AI in a marketing context, I created the following tool for us internally. The idea is that I wanted to ensure each of my team members working with these types of tools had a set of guardrails or guiding principles. I used the key Responsible AI principles (Fairness, Reliability, and safety, Privacy, and security, etc. etc.) as the main set of information. From there, I pivoted a table across those principles to include the category or type of activity that we perform in our digital marketing efforts. Then, I added a description to explain further what kind of considerations to take around that type of activity that align to a principle. It started to look like this: <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:88.25%"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcyan4Kp5V4ui62GBclk3PRP2zf896t_SA2ud9i9Vpo_1v8qPrOQWfOp9xqD3WxN5ckXvPxyMRKoZXo45T-gZ4IY7D5nxcx73So7V4Ke7Bcqg63hunm9UIdd7i0AKnJKRkW2_kd8D0TMDctuawkQD6vaJ0c?key=CLw_KJ6KxDiqOvRg30VM1w" /></figure> After the first draft, my marketing specialist asked me some questions about this, so I added some guiding questions in the last column to help kick-start the brainstorming process. The current incarnation ended up looking like the screenshot below: <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:83.97%"><img src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfbgC_IIHSM1GTgfHUuYOxyKFikNuvB0mTdJu7oMB-maSSu0PxyYEKSKqJKnAsyS94qwbCMs_0wXMkIwpNfpD7wAei-G3vA7zYCH1yfadhC_eCth-Qa2Eiyk3OZI2MxajJ9EdHKKf2iiOIC-44Dc2pjylVL?key=CLw_KJ6KxDiqOvRg30VM1w" /></figure> You can <a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/Responsible-AI-Guidelines-For-Content-Teams">download the editable version of my Responsible AI Principles &amp; Guidelines for Content Teams</a> for free. My goal for this tool is to ensure that Responsible AI practices are considered when selecting third-party vendors, tools, platform features, and subscription services. I also aim for it to add governance to both our adoptions and those of our clients.Additionally, as we onboard new marketing team members or interns, I believe they will come up to speed faster with how we operate as a team. We are working to improve this process, but only time will tell.<h3 id="periodic-reviews-of-your-ai-policy-on-a-schedule">Periodic Reviews of your AI policy on a Schedule</h3>One other note. Don’t be fooled into thinking that an AI policy or single document is a ‘set and forget’ thing. The AI and especially generative AI world is constantly changing, as are the laws and regulations around it. You must treat your AI policy as a living, breathing document. Schedule time to review it regularly, considering the changes that are coming in at a rapid pace.<h3 id="feedback-wanted">Feedback Wanted</h3>As with any new idea, I’d love to gather feedback on it and improve it. If you download the worksheet and have thoughts on it, please let me know via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmckeiver/">LinkedIn</a> or email.<h3 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h3>Using AI in digital marketing and content creation comes with many benefits and responsibilities. By following clear guidelines and responsible principles, we can use AI ethically and efficiently. I recommend that all digital marketing teams strive to implement a responsible AI policy. Note: The above information has been written to provide general guidance only. It does not equate to legal advice. Varying legal requirements exist in different locations, and laws and regulations governing AI, privacy, and cybersecurity do not exist in a consistent manner.Note: Generative AI was used to edit this document for grammar and spelling. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24---sold-out"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a> - SOLD OUT</h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

Responsible AI Principles for Digital Marketing and Content Teams 

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