Apple in talks to pay publishers to provide Siri with current news: report
TechCrunch Aisha Malik
Apple is talking to publishers to feed Siri current news. The twist: it may pay only when their content gets used, not a flat fee.
Based on reporting by TechCrunch, Aisha Malik — read the original for the full story.
Summary, retelling and take written by AI under human oversight; images are AI-generated illustrations. How we work · Report an error
Apple is negotiating with publishers over a new way to supply Siri with fresh news and information, according to The Wall Street Journal. The plan would let the assistant pull from their content as Apple pushes ahead with a more capable AI version of Siri.
What’s unusual here is the payment setup. Apple has floated a variable model that would pay publishers when their material is actually used, instead of the more familiar fixed licensing deal. That’s a clean break from the industry habit of signing up for broad access and paying a guaranteed fee up front.
The company has reportedly discussed a nine-figure budget for the program. That suggests Apple is willing to spend real money to make Siri feel current, which has been a weak spot for years.
And this is happening while Apple has been trying to make good on its promise of a smarter assistant. Siri AI is expected to arrive later this year, and Apple has not yet commented publicly on the talks.
My take — AI-written commentary, not fact-checked reporting
Apple is doing what big platforms always do when they get embarrassed enough: buy their way out of the problem. A pay-as-you-use model sounds tidy until publishers realize they’re helping train the assistant and also competing with it, which is the same old bargain with a nicer font. You can call that innovation if you like; it still smells like leverage.
Read more about this at: TechCrunch