Apple seeks nine-figure publisher deals to power Siri AI's real-time news
The tech giant is proposing a variable payment model to secure high-quality current events data for its redesigned AI assistant.
Apple is currently in negotiations with news publishers to secure multi-year content deals aimed at improving Siri AI's access to real-time information and current events. The move signals a strategic shift as the company prepares to launch its redesigned AI assistant in an upcoming iOS release.
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and other outlets, Apple has proposed a variable compensation plan. Under this structure, publishers would be paid specifically when their content is utilized by the AI, rather than receiving a flat licensing fee. Sources indicate that Apple has discussed a budget for these payments that could reach into the nine-figure range.
The AI Arms Race
Apple first unveiled the redesigned, AI-powered Siri at WWDC 2024, though the feature encountered several delays before its eventual rollout. To support these new capabilities, Apple has already partnered with Google to distill Gemini models. This push for paid licensing follows a volatile industry trend where media organizations are either filing lawsuits against AI developers—most notably The New York Times—or striking high-value licensing agreements, such as those established between OpenAI and publishers like News Corp and Axel Springer.
Mitigating Risk and Hallucinations
By securing authorized, high-quality data, Apple is attempting to mitigate the risk of AI hallucinations and avoid the legal pitfalls that have plagued other LLM developers. The decision to pursue a variable payment model suggests Apple is attempting to forge a different economic relationship with the media industry than the one established by AI labs. By tying payment to actual usage, Apple may be seeking a more scalable cost structure while still providing a revenue stream for publishers.
What to Watch
As Apple races to make Siri competitive with other modern AI assistants, the outcome of these negotiations will serve as a bellwether for how big tech handles intellectual property in the generative AI era. It remains to be seen how many publishers will accept a variable payment model over the guaranteed sums typically offered by competitors. The industry will be watching closely to see if these deals are finalized before the next major iOS update.