How we’re using AI at Mark Allen Group

Q: How are you using AI in your business now?

A: When asked to write this article, I paused to think about not just how Mark Allen Group is using AI but more importantly, why.

Because in publishing, the ‘how’ is often the easy part, you can adopt a new platform or add a new piece of technology. The real challenge is asking yourself why we’re investing in AI, why now and why does it matter to our audiences, our clients, and our people.

And let us be honest, audiences are the only reason our brands exist, some of which have been trusted for more than a century. That’s proof that longevity is not built on novelty, it’s built on consistency and trust. But clients don’t invest in us because of our brands past, they invest because the trust we produce translates into relationships, attention and intent.

Therefore, our ‘why’ for AI is to use it in ways that enhance that trust, strengthen our brands, deepen our connections, and create more value for audiences and clients alike.

That’s the principle behind our AI powered initiatives in editorial and commercial departments, beginning with one of the most fundamental parts of our business: data. With more than 140 brands and 100 in-person events each year, we hold a vast amount of first party data from websites, newsletters, and registrations.

With AI, we can now connect these data points meaning we see patterns more clearly. We can understand not just what a reader consumes but how their behaviour links across touchpoints.

Because of this, both our editorial and commercial teams are working with stronger foundations and are better equipped. Editorial colleagues can focus more of their time on writing, analysing and challenging ideas because AI takes care of article engagement, tagging, metadata, and SEO.

Whilst commercial teams utilise our Magnify AI driven product that can prepare sharper client briefs, precision ‘intent’ targeting, advise on campaign messaging and measure real-time performance levels.

The outcome is that audiences receive content and campaigns that are more relevant, less wasteful, and more respectful of their attention. Our clients gain the ability to reach potential buyers with greater precision in environments those buyers already value. Our brands reinforce the trust they have built over decades.

It is this deliberate approach to AI that provides us an opportunity to be better equipped to do what humans do best which is exercise judgement, build relationships, and do great work.

Q: How do you expect this to change over the next 12 months?

A: The next 12 months at Mark Allen Group is focused on embedding AI responsibly and deliberately. That means integrating our new AI initiatives into workflows, training our people and aligning this with our culture and values.

We’ll move quickly where we see opportunities such as expanding Magnify and scaling its insights across more of our portfolio. We will also take time to ensure that adoption strengthens our editorial integrity, supports our commercial relationships, and, most importantly, serves our audiences.

We will continue to see AI not as a race to win but as a step forward in ensuring our brands remain trusted, relevant, and future ready.

Q: What are your three top tips?

1. Anchor AI to your ‘why’. Start with the business challenge. In our case, we wanted clarity on data and to serve advertisers with a best-in-class service that aligned to their challenges.
2. Pairing AI with people. AI can flag that a niche audience is engaging with, say, an electric vehicle design. But only an experienced editor can explain why that matters in context. That’s why a blend of both creates trust and community.
3. Bake credibility into the process. Our brands run on trust and defined guardrails around disclosure, testing, and data privacy. You must treat AI like any other editorial piece subject to editorial rigour and accountability at all times.