Academic Publishing in the AI Era: Navigating the Storm
Discussions from the ALPSP 2025 Redux Conference: An Exploration
In an era of geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technology advancements, the 2025 ALPSP University Press Redux Conference at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, proved to be a pivotal event for academic publishers. As AI taking center stage in content production and the demand for open access content soars, publishers have been pondering on how they can capitalize on opportunities to weather these shifts.
The conference underscored the significance of collaboration amongst university presses and publishers as they work to tackle the challenges they face in the evolving landscape. From evaluating the intricacies of AI to reassessing open access models and seeking diverse revenue streams, the conference was a timely reminder that while the challenges can be formidable, so are the opportunities. By embracing change and fostering collaboration, academic publishers can not only endure but actively shape the future of scholarly publishing.
The opening keynote speech by Chris Leonard of Cactus Communications touched upon recent developments in AI and how it could be leveraged to benefit publishers rather than harm them. His optimistic message envisioned a future where AI would enable publishers to serve the world in transformative ways.
Fueling the competition for academic publishers was the growing demand for open access content. Debates around the best methods for publishers to meet the escalating demand and to understand the varying approaches to open access were prevalent throughout the conference, including intense discussions on the Subscribe to Open model.
One of the most captivating ideas put forth at the conference came from Sarah Ogilvie, a researcher at the University of Oxford, who suggested that academic publishers could diversify their revenue streams by getting involved at earlier stages of the research cycle. By acquiring the rights to license core research datasets or corpora, these resources could be granted to companies and researchers, providing an additional income source during a time when traditional publishing models face strain.
The 2025 ALPSP Redux Conference emphasized that to survive and thrive in this dynamic landscape, academic publishers needed to be prepared to adapt and innovate. The intricate relationship between AI, open access, and diverse revenue streams will no doubt shape the future of scholarly publishing, with collaborative efforts and smart decisions playing a crucial role in guidance.
The Rising Star Award and the Future of the Conference
Born in 2025, the University Press Rising Star Award was established to celebrate the talent and potential of early career individuals in the publishing sector. The recipient of the award, Sam Johnson, Assistant Commissioning Editor for Ancient History & Classical Studies, Law and Politics & International Relations, was offered a free pass to attend ALPSP University Press Redux Conference 2025 in collaboration with Oxford University Press, along with travel and accommodation expenses.
The event will return to Liverpool in 2026, with its programming to be developed by a diverse committee made up of representatives from multiple universities, rather than solely the host. For those interested in joining the committee, contact [email protected] for further details. All career levels and perspectives are welcome.
AI in Academic Publishing: A Deep Dive
While the conference discussions on AI in academic publishing were not explicitly addressed in the search results, broader trends and debates within the field shed some light on the topic.
- Society and Ethics: As AI assumes a more prominent role in academic writing, ethical questions and diverging perspectives on disclosure requirements are surfacing. A survey conducted by Nature found that while 65% of academics believe AI can be employed to write portions of research papers, there remains considerable disagreement on disclosure standards[3]. The need for clear and uniform guidelines is becoming increasingly evident.
- Partnerships and Finances: Academic publishers are partnering with AI companies to pursue new ventures and revenue streams. For example, Taylor & Francis signed a $10 million deal with Microsoft to make their content available for AI training[5]. As funding cuts mount, such collaborations will likely persist as a means of adapting to financial challenges and exploring new business models.
- Technological Challenges: Open repositories are grappling with an influx of AI bot traffic, an issue COAR is working to address through a new task force[2].
Looking towards the future, standards and regulation will play a pivotal role in guiding the ethical use of AI in scholarly publishing. The NISO workshop and the STeC group's draft report on classifying AI use are steps towards creating these standards[2][4]. Maintaining research integrity will depend on the transparency with which AI tools are employed and disclosed, a matter the STeC group is actively exploring.
[1] Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP). (April 3-4, 2025). University Press Redux Conference 2025. Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.
[2] COAR. (2023). COAR task force on AI bot traffic launched. http://www.coara.org/news/coar-task-force-on-ai-bot-traffic-launched
[3] Nature. (2021). AI and ethics: Where do researchers stand? https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02761-w
[4] NISO. (2025). NISO workshop report on AI text generation. https://www.niso.org/publications/results/wp-no39318
[5] Taylor & Francis. (2023). Taylor & Francis and Microsoft announce multi-year partnership. https://tandf.co/2P8hRpT
- In the ever-evolving landscape of academic publishing, personal growth and self-development through learning about the latest trends and ethical considerations regarding AI are essential for everyone involved, as AI takes a more prominent role in scholarly writing, raising ethical questions and the need for clear guidelines.
- As academic publishers collaborate with AI companies to seek diverse revenue streams and explore new business models, education and self-development in understanding the intricacies of AI partnerships and the technological challenges they pose will be crucial to navigating the storm of the AI era and shaping the future of scholarly publishing.
