Holtzbrinck - GoKawiil

Macmillan quietly shut down its 'NOA' AI assistant after lavish launch party

Macmillan Publishers staff say the company threw an elaborate celebration in January 2024 to introduce an AI chatbot called NOA, built by Chaptr and backed by parent company Holtzbrinck. Employees were trained to use NOA for drafting emails, marketing copy, research, and even performance review goals, with assurances the tool wouldn't leak proprietary data to third parties. The tool was reportedly later discontinued.

wired.com · 2026-10-28

Holtzbrinck CSO Daniel Hook: Waymo rides reveal how AI nudges researchers toward solitude

In an essay, Holtzbrinck Group's Chief Scientific Officer Daniel Hook recounts riding in a driverless Waymo in San Francisco with Macmillan Learning CEO Susan Winslow, and how both admitted they preferred the silent, frictionless ride to the small talk of a human driver. He uses the anecdote to argue that similarly 'frictionless' AI tools may be quietly eroding the incidental human contact that drives collaboration in research.

researchagenda.news · 2026-09-11