Google is entering AI licensing negotiations with publishers, responding to increased pressure following Amazon's deal with The New York Times. Publishers seek realistic revenue, transparent terms, and greater control over their content's use by AI systems. The primary concerns include fair compensation for the value they provide as content creators, as past practices have marginalized them in the economic landscape. Hybrid payment models, similar to other industry agreements, are preferred to ensure continued financial benefit tied to the actual use of their content. The goal is to avoid being rendered invisible as suppliers to AI initiatives.
Publishers have spent years feeding the machine - training the AI, populating the search results, keeping users engaged - while Google reaped the rewards. Any check now comes too late to feel fair, but it's still a line in the sand.
Hybrid deals - flat fees with variable upside tied to usage - are top of mind. They've surfaced in other content licensing agreements, like OpenAI's deals with the Associated Press and Axel Springer, where payouts reflect not just access but continued use.
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