According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple has contacted publishers in recent months about using their content to provide the upcoming Siri AI with access to current news and information.
Apple has proposed a variable compensation model under which publishers would be paid when their content is used, rather than receiving fixed licensing fees. That approach would depart from the prevailing industry practice of guaranteed payments tied to broad access to content.
The report says Apple has considered a nine‑figure budget for these payments. Apple did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
These discussions are part of Apple’s broader effort to substantially improve Siri, years after the company promised a smarter, more capable AI assistant. Siri AI is expected to roll out later this year.
Why this matters
A pay‑when‑used model could change how publishers monetize content in deals with technology companies, linking revenue directly to instances of usage instead of paying for broad licensing rights. Integrating up‑to‑date news into Siri would also affect user experience and the economics of content distribution.
