Apple may start paying publishers to deliver news with Siri AI

Hey Siri, how much is the news worth to an AI assistant? The answer, according to a report by Alexandra Bruell in The Wall Street Journal, starts at $100 million.

Apple has approached publishers to use their news and up-to-date information in the revamped Siri AI, sources told the Journal. The company has reportedly discussed a “nine-figure budget” for the payments.

The next iteration of Apple’s voice-powered assistant was first promised in 2024 and is now expected to be released to the public later this year. (Beta reviewers seem to think it’s an improvement.)

Apple has proposed “a variable compensation plan” to news publishers, according to the Journal. The pay-as-you-go plan would see publishers paid only when Siri AI uses their content. It would be a break from other AI licensing agreements that have involved fixed fees and wide-ranging access to content. Apple currently makes payments to news companies for Apple News+ using a similar model, paying publishers “proportionate to the share of clicks they generate within the platform.”