There is no lack of acronyms and jargon in the digital publishing space. It is certainly interesting to see how things have evolved, and are still evolving, and which buzzwords represent the different stages of that evolution.

The journey started with the all-important three-letter acronyms of PDF and XML, which represent the major formats that initially transformed p-books into e-books. EPub and HTML5 were later added to the alphabet soup, making audio, video, and interactivity features possible. These days, the talks are predominantly about several two-letter acronyms—namely AI, UI, and UX—that aim to make the content transformation process easier and faster and to create intuitive and visually pleasing platforms and products.

If ten years ago publishers were busy looking at the larger picture of big data and analytics, their focus today has zoomed in on metadata and content accessibility and discoverability. And while everything used to come down to bottom lines, which is not to say that is no longer the case, future-proofing the business model and platform is the goal of publishers and digital solutions providers alike. Sustainability, after all, is as much about protecting green forests as it is about ensuring business longevity.

Alas, these shifts do not come easy. The digital path, which is littered with patches of persistent skepticism, as with AI, also winds through some newly established obstacles—of accessibility and deforestation standards and regulations, for instance. PW talks with four digital solutions companies—KnowledgeWorks Global (KGL), Klopotek, KNK Software, and Virtusales Publishing Solutions—to explore hot issues affecting the present industry and get a quick update on their companies.

AI and Research Integrity

Publishers are no longer as skeptical about AI as they were when KGL first started using NLP in its Smart Edit module about six years ago to reduce time to publication by automating formatting and scoring for language quality. “The rapid rise of LLMs, and ChatGPT in particular, have thrust the industry toward the realization that AI is going to happen with or without them, introducing both opportunities and threats, and so publishers are looking at vendors with proven experience like KGL to guide them,” says marketing director Mike Groth at KGL.

Some publishers already assume that turnaround times will reflect the automation of manual tasks, such as the generation of alt-text image descriptions. “We maintain that there is still a level of human validation that must take place, but if we can’t provide a commonly perceived AI-enhanced service, they will seek it elsewhere,” Groth says. “That is why we have been publishing dispatches from KGL Smart Lab to highlight the many AI applications we are experimenting with and refining.”

For CEO Peter Karwowski, “putting a great UI and AI at the center of everything that we do” is a Klopotek motto. “AI is a very important focus area for us and also for our owner Valsoft/Aspire,” Karwowski says. “Our new partnership with an AI-powered company dedicated to the discovery of books online attests to this commitment.”

But while AI tools and generative AI can assist in easing day-to-day processes and increasing efficiencies, many publishers are rightfully concerned about its capabilities in terms of generating manuscripts and manipulating images. It now comes down to research integrity, which may be degraded by these very assistive AI technologies.

There is a growing consensus that paper mills—that is, illegal, profit-driven organizations that produce and sell fraudulent manuscripts—have become the most serious threat to research integrity and the credibility of the academic publishing community, Groth, of KGL, says. “With journal publishers striving to publish greater quantities of research, such predatory practice has been steadily flourishing, with clear evidence pointing toward widespread bribery, corruption, and manipulation on an almost industrial global scale,” Groth says.

A study by Nature revealed that in 2023 alone, 10,000 research articles labeled as “sham papers” were retracted while another Nature study estimated that approximately 400,000 research articles published over the last two decades could potentially be “fake manuscripts churned out by paper mills.” “Publishers are seeking partners—KGL, for instance—that can root out fake submissions,” Groth says, “by identifying tortuous and other AI-generated phrases as well as networks of bad actors.”

Discoverability, Accessibility, and Sustainability

While digitized, chunked, and enriched content is all well and good, if it is not noticed in this world full of tech gadgetry and media overload or purchased and consumed by the target audience, then it all comes to naught. That is the biggest issue of content discoverability and, with it, monetization, which is the end goal.

Discoverability, says Karwowski, of Klopotek, remains a major challenge for publishers, especially in an oversaturated market with millions of books competing for attention. “Optimized metadata plays a crucial role in ensuring that books are visible in search engines, retailer platforms, and online marketplaces,” Karwowski says. “Without the right metadata—such as relevant keywords, accurate descriptions, and categories—books can get lost in the noise. By enhancing metadata, publishers can significantly increase the chances of their titles being found by the right readers, helping them reach a much broader global audience. And this is key to standing out in today’s competitive digital landscape.”

Even small publishers such as Washington, D.C.-based ICS Publications, which focuses on Carmelite spirituality and studies, has benefitted from the above metadata process. “Klopotek has helped to transform our 50-plus years’ worth of paper files into organized and distributable metadata,” says managing editor Fr. Pier Giorgio Pacelli.

Accessibility is another pressing matter, and many digital solutions providers are pushing for “born accessible” content, which is developed right from the start alongside print and digital formats. It has been a bumpy journey, with accessibility efforts lagging far behind for educational websites, online ancillaries, and other materials residing in the digital realm.

Publishers are now anxious about complying with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which will take effect in June 2025. “However, much of the requirements are open to interpretation,” says Groth, of KGL, whose company has been named a Benetech Global Certified Accessible (GCA) vendor and has recently published an updated edition of its landmark report, “Accessibility for Publishers: Meeting Customers’ Needs to Maximize Your Market.” “There are lingering questions such as: Is WCAG 2.1 compliance sufficient for EAA? Is there truly a five-year exception for backlist titles and journal backfiles? How much variation is there in European member state regulations? Must all formats of a particular product be made accessible, or just one? As such, publishers are asking for guidance on compliance for new products and remediation strategies for older content.”

Supporting its client publishers and helping them comply with industry initiatives and standards, including EAA and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), both of which have looming deadlines, are major commitments at Virtusales Publishing Solutions. “BiblioSuite, our enterprise-class publishing management system allows our customers to communicate metadata about accessible products and EUDR information using ONIX,” says director of marketing and communications Kat Coveyduck. “We are also enhancing our platform with features such as IPTC scraping and AI-powered alt-text generation so our client publishers can meet these requirements efficiently and with ease.” Virtusales’s data centers are also set to run on 100% renewable energy by 2025.

With just three months to go to the implementation of EUDR, calls for a delay are growing louder. In fact, the European Commission has just proposed to postpone the regulation until the end of 2025 for large companies and June 2026 for small enterprises.

Transforming and Future-Proofing the Industry

The digital solutions industry, populated by players that have a never-say-die resilience and a can-do attitude, has been able to navigate bumps, potholes, and roadblocks on its path to achieve higher efficiencies and transform operations—and, by default, the publishing industry. For CEO Philip Turner of Virtusales Publishing Solutions, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary next April, “the publishing industry has undergone significant transformation over the past 25 years, with the evolution of new products such as e-books and audiobooks, the growth of Amazon and audio subscription services, more targeted and efficient printing including print-on-demand, and the growth of self-publishing.”

Academic publishers, on the other hand, have had different challenges to deal with, such as Open Access, Turner says. “They have utilized technological advances to increase the number of online journals and platforms, often supplying more granular content such as articles, both individually or as part of a bespoke collection or subscription service.”

The onset of AI promises further evolution, “enabling more personalization with better targeting of content, instant access, and seamless payment,” Turner says. “E-books will incorporate video, audio, gaming, and interactive components to create more immersive experiences as publishing formats become more hybridized. In this changing environment, publishers must continuously innovate to stay relevant, leveraging technology to maximize revenues and deliver content effectively. At Virtusales, we are committed to delivering transformative solutions to empower publishers and be their trusted partner in this evolving industry.”

In today’s fast-paced publishing world, staying competitive means being adaptable and efficient. And this is where KNKMedia, the publishing platform from KNK Software, comes in. “Unlike traditional software solutions that require complex integrations, KNKMedia offers a comprehensive platform that supports every step of the publishing process—from editorial planning and production to order processing, rights management, distribution and financial management,” says Sebastian Mayeres, CEO of KNK Software (U.S.). “This eliminates the headache of juggling multiple systems and provides a seamless experience for publishers of all sizes.”

“KNKMedia’s centralized data layer eliminates silos, offering publishers a single source of truth for business intelligence and AI analysis,” Mayeres says. “The result? A future-proof platform that adapts to your business needs, making it easier to grow, innovate, and stay ahead in an ever-changing industry.”

This feature is published with the support of the companies covered in these articles. Click through to read their stories.

Continuous Expansion and Reimagining of Content Solutions at KGL

Klopotek Unveils New Publishing Software and Partnerships

Changing the Game for Publishers Big and Small at KNK Software

Empowering Publishers Through Innovation and Investment at Virtusales