{"id":1469,"date":"2025-05-08T16:04:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T16:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storyblok-hub.itcurated.com\/?p=1469"},"modified":"2026-05-18T17:08:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T17:08:04","slug":"how-to-improve-ai-readiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itcurated.com\/storyblok-hub\/how-to-improve-ai-readiness\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Improve AI Readiness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no secret that AI has impacted what it means to be a marketer, for better and for worse. Marketers have been stretched thin, at risk of burnout, and set an unspoken (and sometimes even spoken) challenge: keep up, or get left behind<\/strong>. AI has business leaders asking the same questions they always have \u2014 how do we keep growing, how do we stay relevant, how do we capture new interest \u2014 but this time, they\u2019ve added on \u201cand how can we use this new technology to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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If your cup is half empty as a marketer, it\u2019s easy to feel stuck; budgets have tightened significantly across the board, and teams are expected to do more with less. And time is running out on how long is left for trial-and-error experimental AI adoption, before teams need to start proving the ROI of their AI investments. If you can talk about AI performance measurement today in any meaningful way, trust us, you\u2019re already ahead of the pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s where we come in, with a masterclass on AI adoption for content marketing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We invite you to have a cup half full, one where you operate at the top of your game, and introduce your peers to a new type of measurement in marketing strategy: AI content readiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, AI is highly-used, spoken about, and researched, but it\u2019s still growing in its dominance in workplace workflows and internet search. It\u2019s not just about being ready to use it right now, but keeping up in six months, or a year, as the technology continues to evolve. As of 2026, 61% of marketers we spoke to have not embedded AI tools into their marketing stack in any strategic way, and 50% don\u2019t have a solid understanding of how AI platforms surface or cite content. There\u2019s work to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This whitepaper dives into seven core areas that combine content marketing and AI readiness, and how you can evolve each area so you (the human) and the machine can work together happily (and productively!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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PART 1:<\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to measure AI content readiness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To help you measure your AI content readiness, we\u2019ve developed a simple but detailed maturity model to understand just how ready your content and operations are for the AI-driven present and future. You\u2019ll surface your current strengths, the gaps in your strategy, and the steps to implement going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n

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If you haven\u2019t yet taken the AI content readiness assessment<\/a>, it\u2019s the most accurate way of measuring your AI readiness level: Learner, Explorer, Builder, Optimizer, or Leader. Once you know where you have gaps, it\u2019ll be easier to find the sections most relevant for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know that AI is the number one driver of change right now, but, according to the Fall 2025 Storyblok Marketers Survey, 67% of marketers cite lack of training as the primary barrier to adoption. That\u2019s where the AI content readiness assessment comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing how, where, and when to adopt AI into your content operations and your content observability is crucial. If you need a refresher on how AI impacts content operations or content observability, we have detailed articles on both of these topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LINKS TO ARTICLES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maximizing Content ROI Through Smarter Content Operations in the Era of AI\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Content Observability Explained\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where are you in your AI content readiness journey?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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LEARNER<\/h3>\n
Your organization recognizes the potential of AI but has not yet built the skills, processes, or systems necessary to leverage it effectively \u2014 usage is ad-hoc or almost zero. Content operations rely mostly on manual effort and AI is either barely used or only tested here and there. AI search monitoring, entity-based content, structured data, and AI workflows aren\u2019t embedded parts of your content strategy yet.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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EXPLORER<\/h3>\n
Your team experiments with AI tools for tasks like content ideation, drafting, or basic optimization efforts but overall usage is inconsistent and not standardized. Some individuals understand what AI search is and how it relates to traditional SEO marketing, but there isn\u2019t a widely understood strategy nor is it included within reporting yet. There might be a few promising pilots in motion, but processes, governance, and tech stack integration are still early-stage. AI is helpful, interesting, and exciting \u2014 but not yet reliable or central to how the team works.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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BUILDER<\/h3>\n
AI is now a regular part of your content workflows, and confidence in its use is growing. You\u2019re shaping clearer processes, guidelines, and internal knowledge. Content is partially structured for AI visibility, and a range of AI tools supports planning, creation, optimization, and analysis. Taxonomy and metadata are becoming more consistent. Composable content models are also beginning to take shape, helping you standardize structure and prepare for greater scalability. There\u2019s momentum \u2014 but still some inconsistency, some gaps, and plenty of room to tighten things up and scale what works<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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OPTIMIZER<\/h3>\n
AI is a strategic partner across your content operations. Your team uses AI insights to shape decisions, and your content is structured for AI search with a robust knowledge graph, schema markup, and consistent brand and product messaging. Workflows are efficient, reliable, and supported by a solid tech stack. Content personalization and omnichannel delivery are in full swing, backed by governance, training, quality controls, and automated workflows. The system is set, now it\u2019s time to lead the way to stay at the forefront of AI development in content.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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LEADER<\/h3>\n
Your organization sets the benchmark for AI-driven content excellence. AI is deeply integrated into systems, processes, governance, and strategy, and your team maintains strong AI literacy, continually experimenting with new capabilities with the ability to adapt quickly to market and tech changes. Content is fully machine-readable, API-first, and structured for maximum visibility in AI search, and you use advanced content models, custom AI integration frameworks, and predictive analytics to scale operations and innovate ahead of competitors.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wherever you land in the maturity model, now you know where there\u2019s room for improvement across your content operations. To make it easier for you, we\u2019ve split a typical content marketing and AI strategy into seven distinct functions. This way, you can dive into the different areas and develop an action-plan that\u2019s tailored to your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Know Exactly Where AI Is Pulling Its Weight and Where You're Leaving Value on the Table <\/h2>\n
\n \n Take the AI readiness assessment <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

The seven content marketing functions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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CONTENT STRATEGY AND PLANNING<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Utilize both human insight with intelligent tools to set a clear direction for who you\u2019re talking to, what you\u2019re trying to achieve, and how the content you create supports business outcomes<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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CONTENT CREATION<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Combine human creativity with generative engine speed to create good content efficiently and at scale.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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CONTENT STRUCTURING AND OPTIMIZATION<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Structure and optimize content so that it\u2019s easy for both humans and AI engines to read, understand, and reuse.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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DISTRIBUTION AND PUBLISHING<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Ensure content reaches the right audiences in the right formats at the right time \u2014 without relying on manual effort and guesswork.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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PERFORMANCE AND ANALYSIS<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Turn content data into actionable insights that guide optimization and future plans.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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PROCESSES AND GOVERNANCE<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Provide clear content guidelines, task ownership, and quality control to keep workflows that incorporate AI accurate, consistent, and trustworthy.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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CONTENT ECOSYSTEM INTEGRATION<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Connect systems, platforms, and teams so content moves smoothly, scales effectively, and delivers more value over time.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n