Apple is in negotiations with multiple publishers to secure content licensing deals worth up to nine figures, aiming to provide its AI-powered version of Siri with access to real-time news and information, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
A Shift in Content Licensing Strategy
Unlike the fixed-fee model commonly used in the AI industry—such as OpenAI’s arrangements with News Corp or Axel Springer—Apple has proposed a variable compensation plan. Under this framework, publishers would receive payments when their content is actively used by Siri to answer user queries, rather than receiving a blanket upfront fee for broad content access.
People familiar with the discussions say Apple has discussed a total budget that could reach nine figures to fund these payments. The proposed multiyear agreements would grant Apple rights to publisher content for Siri AI features expected to launch later this year.
The Challenge of AI-Generated News
Apple’s current move follows a previous setback in AI-powered news delivery. In late 2024, the company tested an automated feature that generated AI news summaries, but quickly shut it down after it produced inaccurate headlines that raised concerns among publishing partners. This time, Apple appears to be taking a different approach—securing direct access to verified content from publishers rather than relying on automated aggregation.
Broader Context: Publishers Between Licensing and Litigation
The negotiations come at a pivotal moment in the relationship between AI companies and content creators. Publishers increasingly face a choice between licensing content to AI developers or pursuing legal action over unauthorized use of their work. The New York Times is currently suing OpenAI and Microsoft over alleged copyright infringement, while News Corp and Axel Springer have struck content deals with the ChatGPT maker. Reddit has taken both approaches, licensing content to Google for approximately $60 million per year while separately suing Anthropic and Perplexity over alleged unauthorized data scraping.
Apple’s variable-payment model—if successful—could establish a new industry standard. It shifts more financial risk to publishers compared to fixed-fee deals, but could reward outlets whose content proves most valuable to Siri’s underlying AI system.
Not Apple’s First Publisher Partnership
Apple has previous experience with publisher agreements. Since 2019, the company has operated Apple News+, a subscription service that has generated significant revenue for some news and magazine publishers. The Wall Street Journal, whose parent company News Corp has a commercial agreement with Apple, was among the early participants. Apple has also previously signed deals that included rights to use publisher content for AI training purposes.
Why This Matters for Siri
Apple’s timing reflects the competitive pressure in the AI assistant market. Siri has faced years of criticism for limited capabilities compared to rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Amazon’s Alexa. The upgraded Siri, expected to launch this fall alongside iOS 27, I-iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, represents a significant overhaul designed to embed AI more deeply into Apple’s ecosystem. Apple declined to comment when the WSJ reached out for confirmation.
If the deals move forward, they could create a new revenue stream for publishers while giving Apple a competitive edge in delivering accurate, up-to-date information through Siri—addressing a key weakness that has long held the assistant back.