Will the Open Web Survive AI? | Andrew Webb, Connectopia

Andrew Webb has spent over 20 years on the commercial side of publishing, most recently at DMG Media, and now runs Connectopia and the Emerging Tech Network, connecting technology companies with the publishers they want to work with. In this episode of Paying Attention, we talk about why so many tech companies fail to win publishers over, why “build or buy” is no longer the right question, and whether the open web survives AI. We get into: why technology is now both the opportunity and the obstacle why tech partners deserve better than being called “vendors” what publishers misunderstand about buying new technology how smaller publishers can club together through collective bargaining his utopian and dystopian visions for media in the AI era why publishers need to invest in R&D and own more of their tech stack A conversation about what actually works when new technology meets media. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:48 Why tech is both the opportunity and the obstacle 01:42 From DMG Media to the tech side 02:23 What separates tech companies that break through 03:39 Why “vendor” is the wrong word 04:28 What publishers misunderstand about buying tech 06:53 Reach, Mantis, and why it’s not build or buy 08:15 Getting the partnership balance right 09:58 Collective bargaining for smaller publishers 12:51 Does the open web survive AI? 16:10 Utopia vs dystopia for publishing 19:46 Connectopia and the Emerging Tech Network 21:00 What to pay attention to: R&D and sovereignty Paying Attention is hosted by Choy Travers and explores how media, advertising, technology and commerce are being reshaped by AI.