Research increasingly happens outside traditional publishing platforms, with scholars using AI chat tools, research assistants, and agent-based systems that access content through APIs and emerging protocols like Model Context Protocol (MCP). This session explores how publishers can maintain relevance and deliver value when content consumption moves beyond their owned platforms. We’ll discuss the technical infrastructure needed to support external AI access, the business model implications of content delivery through third-party tools, and strategies for ensuring proper attribution, rights management, and quality control when AI systems become intermediaries between publishers and end users. The conversation will look at both the challenges of distributed access and the opportunities for publishers to expand their reach and impact in an AI-native research workflow.
This event is part of the 2026 Platform Strategies Webinar Series, “The New User Experience: Understanding the Full Spectrum of AI & Human Engagement in Scholarly Publishing.” Read more here.
