Publicly-traded media companies and generative AI tech companies are increasingly entering into licensing deals. IAC’s Dotdash Meredith and OpenAI have struck a three-part deal, and News Corp has signed an agreement with Google for AI-related content and products.
Publishers like BuzzFeed, Gannett and The New York Times are finding internal applications for AI, from developing products to synthetic audio. However, the contribution of AI to publishers’ businesses remains unclear.
IAC CEO Joey Levin didn't disclose the financial details of the deal with OpenAI, but it is expected to help drive traffic from ChatGPT to the publisher’s sites. The deal is not exclusive, suggesting the company can engage in talks with other LLMs.
News Corp CEO Robert Thomson was also silent on the financial details of the deal with Google. The Information reported that News Corp is getting paid between $5 million and $6 million a year by Google.
IAC’s agreement with OpenAI allows Dotdash Meredith to use the tech company’s LLM to improve its first-party contextual targeting solution D/Cipher.
BuzzFeed’s CEO Jonah Peretti sees notable opportunities in this space with generative AI. He believes that AI technology could scour BuzzFeed’s content to suggest ad placements and offset some of the cookie depreciation.
The New York Times Company is experimenting with audio by introducing the ability to listen to much of their report by an AI-powered automated voice. Gannett is using AI technology to develop business products for clients and has launched its first AI-powered CRM tool.
BuzzFeed is using new AI-powered features and formats to drive deeper engagement among its audience. The technology is also powering a new, interactive BuzzFeed homepage design.
