How AI can disrupt the world of professional and scientific information

“He who excels in solving difficulties solves them before they arise”. For several weeks, the major professional information specialists, publishers of academic publications, books or tools, such as Relx, Pearson or Wolters Kluwer make this precept of Sun Tzu theirs. They multiply reuring messages to investors on artificial intelligence.

The general idea ? AI, which is disrupting several industries, is more of an opportunity than a threat to them.

These large groups had no real choice but to reure after the burst of concern caused by Chegg, an American company specializing in homework help. The group fell by almost 50% on the stock market in early May, after warning than ChatGPT had weighed on its growth, noting a growing interest of students for the latter.

In the process, several large listed players also lost ground, like Pearson. “Without necessarily being justified, notes Christophe Cherblanc, media analyst at Société Générale. This nervousness is undoubtedly linked to the fact that investors have the image of security values ​​for professional information in the broad sense”.

In fact, Chegg, AI’s first casualty, brought home the competition from a revolutionary new entrant. The feared risk? Whether students or professionals prefer to use OpenAI tools directly rather than a textbook or a school or professional tool. But also more broadly that AI is completely disrupting the world of scientific and technical production and its tools.

“It is difficult to predict what will happen for the major scientific publishers. There is a negative scenario, in which AIs loot everything to create their own literature, while a lot of research is open access. And a positive scenario where they use their fame, technology to continue to be referents”, summarizes Claudio Aspesi, analyst specializing in this sector.

The issue of reliability

Many financial analysts, however, remain relatively confident. First, groups such as Pearson, Relx or Wolters Kluwer rely on diversified fields of activity. For example, Pearson has a big division focused on essment (testing, qualifications etc.) which shouldn’t be really affected by competition from AI tools, according to Barclays.

Second, and most importantly, professional and scientific information companies have built their success on their reliability. “Generative AI tools pose a real problem in that they have hallucinations. However, professionals, such as lawyers and others, need quality information above all. No one will take the risk of using a tool – manual, computer tool, magazine etc. – which has not proven itself”, explains Christophe Cherblanc.

According to him, AI can ultimately have an impact on low value-added tools such as basic textbooks, quizzes for students, but not on “so-called critical” uses for professionals such as lawyers, doctors, academics etc. “On the contrary, AI can even accentuate the demand for verification,” he says.

Groups use AI themselves

Finally, the major information and publishing groups have themselves sought to show that they are innovating and using AI. For example, Relx just recently introduced Lexis+AI, allowing jurists, lawyers etc. to easily query a large database of information, but also to synthesize documents etc. Wolters Kluwer acquired Della AI a few months ago in AI. At Pearson, many tools include a dose of AI (to summarize videos, generate quizzes, chat to learn English, etc.). “The company has a proven track record of using AI in learning. It has a strong IP et base that directly improves the quality of AI results over ChatGPT,” Credit Suisse analysts point out in a recent note.

However, questions remain over the longer term. In particular on the impact of artificial intelligence on recruitment of certain professions such as lawyers . If the workforce declines, this could lead companies to review their subscriptions to professional information tools and services…