Apple is in talks with major publishers to license current news content for Siri, with the company considering a nine-figure budget for the payments, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Apple is negotiating with news publishers to provide real-time news content through Siri, its voice assistant. The deal would compensate publishers for allowing Apple to pull current news into the assistant's responses.
According to the WSJ, Apple has budgeted nine figures—suggesting at least $100 million—for these payments. The negotiations reflect growing pressure on tech companies to fairly compensate content creators as AI systems increasingly rely on published material.
The move positions Siri to compete more directly with AI chatbots and search engines that have integrated news capabilities. Currently, Siri's news functionality is limited compared to competitors. A paid licensing arrangement would expand what the assistant can offer users.
Publishers have become more assertive about licensing their content to AI companies following high-profile disputes with OpenAI and Google. Several major outlets have sued generative AI firms for training on copyrighted material without permission or compensation.
Apple's approach of direct negotiation and upfront payments differs from some competitors' strategies. The company has previously emphasized privacy and ethical practices as differentiators.
Details about which publishers are involved in talks remain unclear. The negotiations are ongoing, and terms could change before any agreement is finalized.
This development comes as Apple prepares new AI features for its devices and services. The company has been methodical in rolling out generative AI capabilities, focusing on on-device processing to maintain privacy standards.
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