Exclusive: Meta strikes multiple AI deals with news publishers
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Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Meta on Friday said it has struck several commercial AI data agreements with news publishers ranging from USA Today, People Inc., CNN, Fox News, The Daily Caller, Washington Examiner and Le Monde.
Why it matters: Meta backed away from compensating news companies several years ago, but has resumed paying for editorial content as it invests more in its AI chat tools that require real-time access to verified news.
Zoom in: The new agreements allow Meta to access content from its partners to provide real-time answers to user queries about news and current events in its Meta AI chatbot.
- Like its previously announced deal with Reuters, the new agreements are multiyear deals where publishers are compensated for the use of their content.
- The new deals are meant to provide users with a broader range of verified content that spans global news, entertainment and lifestyle.
- Over time, the company plans to add more news partners and topics while expanding new features for users looking to access to real-time information.
How it works: Meta's AI chatbot is integrated into the search and messaging features on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.
- When users ask Meta's AI chatbot a question that requires a real-time news response, they will not only receive information about the source that Meta AI has pulled the answers from, but the chatbot will also link out to articles on the publishers' websites.
Zoom out: It's notable that Meta is partnering with conservative news organizations, such as Fox News, The Daily Caller and Washington Examiner, because of its complicated history with making news partnership decisions.
- In 2016, Facebook was accused of censoring conservative stories in its trending topics feature. That allegation, which it denied, kicked off years of scrutiny from Republicans that the tech giant was biased against conservative voices.
- When the company launched its News Tab in 2019, it included conservative outlets, such as Breitbart, as sources.
The big picture: While users can still share news across Meta's non-AI products, its platforms — specifically Facebook — are no longer built to be hubs for sharing news articles. Rather, they have shifted to elevate viral video content.
