Meta to news companies: help us train our AI — the tech giant is exploring licensing deals with major publishers to power its next wave of AI tools.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Meta has begun discussions with major media companies, including Axel Springer, Fox Corp, and News Corp, about licensing their articles for AI training. The move marks a potential shift in the company’s stance toward news content, following years of fluctuating support for publishers.
A Changing Relationship with News Publishers
Meta previously struck multimillion-dollar deals to showcase stories from major outlets in its Facebook News Tab, but by 2022, the company announced it would stop paying publishers altogether. This decision led to a sharp decline in traffic for many news organizations relying on Facebook for audience reach.
However, recent months have seen signs of renewed traffic from Meta’s platforms, hinting at a possible change in strategy as the company explores AI-powered opportunities.
Meta, Google, and the AI Content Race
Meta’s reported outreach mirrors Google’s July initiative, where the search giant began recruiting news organizations for a pilot AI licensing project involving around 20 publishers. A Google spokesperson confirmed the company is experimenting with new partnership models but declined to share specifics.
Meanwhile, AI search startup Perplexity announced a $42.5 million revenue-sharing program to compensate publishers when their content is used by its AI tools. However, this has not prevented legal challenges — Japanese publishers Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun sued Perplexity for alleged copyright infringement shortly after the program was revealed.
Why AI Firms Want Licensed Content
Generative AI systems require vast amounts of high-quality, reliable data to produce accurate and trustworthy outputs. By partnering with established news organizations, companies like Meta and Google hope to:
- Improve AI accuracy using verified sources
- Reduce copyright concerns with formal licensing deals
- Foster better relationships with publishers historically wary of tech giants
The Road Ahead for Meta’s AI Plans
While Meta has not disclosed specifics about potential deals, the company has confirmed it is “exploring new types of partnerships” as it invests heavily in AI development.
If these talks lead to agreements, publishers could see new revenue streams emerge — a welcome change after years of declining traffic and ad revenues from social media platforms.
For Meta, securing licensed news data could help its AI tools compete with Google, OpenAI, and Perplexity, all of which are racing to integrate real-time, credible information into their systems.