Forbes deployed Bertie in 2018 to assist its network of approximately 2,800 freelance contributors. The system analyzes historical traffic data, trending topics, and reader engagement patterns to suggest story ideas and headline variations.
What Contributors Actually See
When a Forbes contributor logs into the CMS, Bertie displays topic suggestions based on their previous articles and current trending searches. If a technology writer typically covers cloud computing, Bertie might suggest covering a recent Amazon Web Services outage because similar past articles generated above-average engagement. The system also recommends headline alternatives based on A/B testing data from previous stories.
The Editorial Control Question
Contributors can ignore all Bertie suggestions without penalty. Acceptance rates hover around 30 percent according to Forbes data. Writers reject suggestions when topics fall outside their expertise or conflict with stories already in progress. The system operates as recommendation engine, not assignment editor.
The Beginner Concern
Students see this as algorithms dictating editorial priorities based purely on traffic metrics, undermining journalistic independence.
The Experienced Perspective
Professional editors recognize Forbes always prioritized reader interest through editorial meetings and traffic analysis. Bertie automated existing workflow rather than changing editorial philosophy. The difference: individual contributors now access data previously available only to senior editors. The tool democratized traffic insights across the contributor network. Whether traffic-driven editorial decisions serve journalism remains a valid debate, but AI did not create that approach.