Google in talks to license news content for AI, eyes publisher deals
If successful, this initiative could represent a significant revenue stream for news outlets, many of which have been struggling financially due to declining readership and advertising in the digital age.
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Alphabet Inc.'s Google is in discussions with multiple news organizations as part of a new licensing initiative focused on artificial intelligence (AI), Bloomberg reported.
The move signals Google's intent to mend fragile relations with the media industry, which has been increasingly wary of how tech companies use their content to power AI tools.
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According to sources familiar with the development, the pilot project will initially involve about 20 national news outlets. The aim is to allow Google to license news content for use in its AI-driven products, such as chatbots and AI-generated summaries, the report added.
According to the report, a Google spokesperson confirmed the company is "exploring and experimenting with new types of partnerships and product experiences" but declined to provide specifics on current plans or negotiations.
If successful, this initiative could represent a significant revenue stream for news outlets, many of which have been struggling financially due to declining readership and advertising in the digital age. AI has introduced a fresh layer of concern for publishers, as tools like chatbots and automated summaries increasingly draw traffic away from original news websites.
Startups like Perplexity AI and OpenAI have already initiated similar licensing efforts, recognizing the value of high-quality news content in training AI systems. Google's efforts appear to be in response to the growing pressure from the media industry to fairly compensate content creators whose work fuels generative AI.
A key point of contention has been Google's AI Overviews feature, which generates concise summaries that often rank high in search results, the report added. While publishers argue these summaries divert traffic, they have been reluctant to block their content due to fears of reduced visibility on Google's platform.
Google has previously introduced programmes such as Google News Showcase to pay publishers while upholding the legal boundaries of fair use. However, many industry stakeholders argue that such efforts fall short in addressing the broader risks posed by AI, the report added.
In an earlier step this year, Google partnered with the Associated Press to license news for its Gemini chatbot, marking its first major deal for AI-specific content. Gemini, part of Google’s broader AI portfolio, is expected to play a central role in the company’s future content and product strategy.
The broader landscape has been marked by legal clashes. Notably, the New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its key investor Microsoft in late 2023, accusing them of using copyrighted material to train AI systems without permission.
Google, which has had a more measured approach, now appears to be proactively seeking licensing agreements to avoid similar legal pitfalls and maintain amicable relations with news providers.
