Publishers face new licensing choices as Google tests AI in Google News. The company is offering expanded content rights, including AI model training. Some publishers are weighing the impact on revenue and legal risk.
Media organizations are being asked to reconsider their licensing terms as Google pursues expanded rights to use publisher content for testing new AI features in Google News. According to The Information, Google is offering publishers broader permissions under a pilot program that began late last year, aiming to secure the ability to train its AI models and gain operational and legal advantages.
The proposed agreements would allow Google to use publisher content in more ways, including for AI model training, while also reducing potential future liabilities and strengthening its competitive position. Some publishers have expressed hesitation, citing the wide-ranging terms and the payment rates offered by Google as reasons for caution.
In December, Google introduced a pilot program that let select publishers, including The Washington Post and The Guardian, run promotions for “AI-powered article overviews” in Google News and its Gemini chatbot. This initiative came as direct search traffic to news sites continued to decline. The program was designed to test whether generative AI could help drive more engaged audiences back to original news sources, offering specific features to participating publishers.
Publishers who choose not to participate risk losing payments previously made under Google’s older Showcase news program, which the company has indicated it plans to discontinue, according to The Information. While Google did not initially state that it wanted publishers to license their content specifically for AI model training, a company blog post referenced its stance on “commercial partnerships” and the use of “publicly available” data.
Jesse Angelo, CEO of Checker Media, told The Information that declining referral traffic from Google has led publishers to focus more on building direct relationships with readers through subscriptions or registrations. This shift in strategy reflects broader concerns about platform dependency and revenue stability. For a look at how other publishers are adapting their monetization strategies, see this analysis of Ringier’s approach to increasing customer value through direct engagement.
