Business Insider’s custom GPT pilot

AI is no longer something publishers “might” use. It is already being tested inside real editorial workflows, with real output going live. If you run a blog to drive visibility, enquiries and pipeline, that matters because it changes the bar for speed, consistency and quality.

Business Insider has publicly launched a month-long pilot that uses a custom GPT to publish “quick news stories”. The model is trained to use only selected stories from their archive plus a piece of fresh news input, and every story is edited by a human editor. They also state the content will carry an AI byline and a disclosure that it was created with AI and edited by a person.

The takeaway is simple: the workflow is “AI drafts, humans approve” and it is now mainstream enough to be tested publicly by a major publisher.

Why this matters for SEO (and not just newsroom efficiency)

1) Speed to publish is becoming table stakes

If a custom GPT can turn existing knowledge into a usable first draft in minutes, content teams can cover more topics, respond faster to news cycles and keep blogs active without burning out. In practical terms, that can mean more chances to match search intent, win impressions and build topical authority.

But speed only helps if it supports outcomes. Publishing more content that does not add value just creates noise, cannibalisation and a bigger site to maintain.

2) “AI content penalties” is the wrong fear, quality is the real one

Google’s guidance is clear that using AI is not automatically against its rules. The issue is intent and value: content created primarily to manipulate rankings is the risk, not the fact a tool helped draft it.

So the question shifts from “Will we be penalised?” to “Does this page deserve to rank and convert?” That depends on expertise, accuracy, originality and whether it genuinely helps the reader.

3) Archives can be an asset, or a duplication trap

Business Insider’s approach is interesting because it deliberately anchors the model in its own archive and style. That is a smart way to scale without constantly reinventing the wheel.

For blogs, the risk is copying yourself too closely, creating multiple similar pages, or re-stating what already exists on your site with no fresh angle. That is how duplication and keyword cannibalisation creep in.

Should your blog use a custom GPT?

A custom GPT is most useful when you want repeatable quality, not just faster writing. The difference versus generic AI is control: you can align it to your approved knowledge, services and tone of voice, and you can build guardrails that reduce risk.

If you publish regularly and care about brand trust, a custom GPT can help you:

• Draft faster without losing your voice
• Repurpose existing IP (guides, webinars, case studies, FAQs) into new formats
• Improve consistency across multiple contributors
• Reduce time spent on “blank page” writing so humans can focus on insight, angles and editing

The key is using it as an editorial assistant, not an autopilot. Business Insider is explicitly keeping a human editor in the loop and being transparent about AI involvement, which is a sensible signal for any brand that depends on trust.

A practical playbook: using a custom GPT without lowering standards

1) Start with what success looks like

Be specific about outcomes, not activity. For example:

• More qualified organic enquiries from problem-aware searches
• Higher conversion rate on blog-assisted journeys
• Stronger visibility for priority topics over 3 to 6 months

This keeps the GPT focused on value, not volume.

2) Give the GPT the right inputs (and keep them clean)

A blog GPT should be grounded in:

• Your approved service descriptions and positioning
• Your best-performing articles and evergreen guides
• Your brand tone of voice rules
• Your “do not claim” list (regulated areas, guarantees, unverified stats)

This is how you avoid confident-sounding nonsense and keep output consistent.

3) Build guardrails that protect trust

Good guardrails are simple and practical:

• “If you are unsure, say you are unsure and suggest what to verify.”
• “Do not invent case study metrics.”
• “Do not reuse paragraphs verbatim from source material.”
• “Include a short ‘What changed since last time’ section when updating older posts.”

4) Make human editing non-negotiable (and define what ‘editing’ means)

Editing is not spellcheck. It is:

• Checking claims and removing anything vague or unprovable
• Adding genuine insight from experience (what you see working, what fails)
• Improving structure so it matches intent and the reader’s next step
• Ensuring it reflects how your business actually delivers outcomes

That is where most of the SEO and commercial value comes from.

5) Reduce duplication risk with a simple workflow

If you want to avoid “same content, new page” issues:

• Keep one primary page per intent (and update it) rather than publishing endless near-duplicates
• Use a content brief that states: audience, intent, unique angle, and what not to repeat
• Run a quick internal search before publishing: “Do we already have this?”
• If you are rewriting an older post, consider updating and republishing rather than cloning

6) Be transparent when it matters

Business Insider is explicitly labelling AI-assisted stories during this pilot. You do not need to copy their exact approach, but you should have a clear internal policy.

Transparency protects trust, especially on sensitive topics or where authority is the reason someone chose you.

Where this fits in a WordPress-style workflow

You do not need a complicated build to get value quickly. A practical starting point looks like:

1. Human sets the angle, intent, and what’s new
2. Custom GPT drafts (using your approved materials)
3. Human editor improves clarity, adds expertise, verifies facts
4. Publish with strong internal links and clear next steps
5. Measure outcomes, then refine prompts and guardrails

Over time, you can mature this into a more integrated process, but the biggest win usually comes from getting step 2 and 3 right.

Closing thought

Business Insider’s experiment is not a promise that “AI will replace writers”. It is a reminder that drafting is becoming cheaper and faster, while trust, originality and editorial judgement are becoming more valuable.

If you want to use AI to support growth, the safest path is the one Business Insider is signalling: controlled inputs, clear labelling where appropriate and human oversight that protects quality.

If you want a custom GPT that helps your team publish faster without losing accuracy or voice, explore our Custom GPTs service!