Meta strikes AI licensing deals with CNN, Fox News, and USA Today
On Friday, Meta unveiled a significant update to its AI chatbot, announcing a new partnership with major news outlets, including CNN, Fox News, USA Today, and People Inc.’s portfolio. This collaboration aims to enhance the chatbot’s ability to provide users with timely and diverse information, drawing from a wide array of viewpoints and content types. The move comes amid an ongoing legal landscape where publishers are increasingly challenging AI companies over content usage. For instance, The New York Times recently filed a lawsuit against the AI startup Perplexity, seeking to halt its use of the newspaper’s content until a formal agreement is reached. This growing tension highlights the delicate balance between leveraging news content for AI training and respecting the rights of content creators.
Meta’s new partnerships are part of a broader strategy to pivot towards AI-focused licensing agreements, especially after the company previously stepped back from deals with major publications and closed Facebook’s News tab. The decision to withdraw news content from Facebook and Instagram in Canada, following the introduction of a law mandating payment for news, further exemplifies the challenges Meta faces in navigating the complex relationship between social media platforms and news organizations. In addition to its latest collaborations, Meta had previously entered a similar licensing deal with Reuters, signaling a commitment to integrating credible news sources into its AI offerings. This shift mirrors trends seen in other AI companies, such as OpenAI, which has established content agreements with prominent publications like The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, while also grappling with legal challenges from The New York Times.
By aligning itself with a diverse range of news outlets, Meta aims to bolster the credibility and relevance of its AI chatbot, ultimately enhancing user experience. However, as the legal disputes between publishers and AI firms continue to unfold, the effectiveness of these partnerships will depend on the evolving dynamics of content ownership and fair compensation in the digital landscape.
On Friday,
Meta announced
that its AI chatbot will now respond with information from CNN, Fox News,
USA Today
, and People Inc.’s portfolio, as part of a new partnership with the companies.
The deal comes as publishers continue to
sue AI
companies for stealing content.
The New York Times
filed a lawsuit
against AI startup Perplexity on Friday, for example, seeking to stop it from pulling its news until the two companies reach an agreement.
Meta says the partnerships will “improve Meta AI’s ability to deliver timely and relevant content and information with a wide variety of viewpoints and content types.” It has also struck deals with conservative outlets
The Daily Caller
and
The Washington Examiner
, as well as the French media conglomerate group Le Monde.
Meta’s shift toward AI-focused licensing agreements comes after the company backed
out of deals
with major publications and
shuttered Facebook’s News tab
. It also pulled news content
from Facebook and Instagram in Canada
after the country enacted a law requiring it to pay for news content.
Meta
struck a similar AI licensing deal with
Reuters
last year. OpenAI has signed content agreements with publications such as
The Wall Street Journal
, the
Financial Times
,
Tom’s Guide
owner Future
, and
The Verge’s
parent company Vox Media
, but is facing a
lawsuit from
The New York Times
as well
.
