A usage-based revenue model could decide which publishers feed Siri its news, if talks reported by The Wall Street Journal come to fruition. Apple has been approaching outlets in recent months about powering the assistant’s answers with their journalism.
Rather than the industry’s usual flat licensing fee, Apple has floated paying publishers each time their content is actually used. The proposal would be a first for the company’s AI ambitions, and reports suggest a nine-figure budget has been considered for the program.
The discussions reflect two forces colliding in the AI era. Publishers want compensation for the reporting that trains and informs AI systems, while Apple wants Siri to answer questions about current events without building a news operation of its own. A variable-payment structure keeps Apple’s costs tied to real usage, while fixed fees would give outlets more predictable revenue.
The talks are part of a broader effort to revive Siri, which Apple has promised to make far more capable after years of incremental updates. The company has been slower than rivals to push AI into its products, and a news-capable assistant would be a visible step forward.
Neither side has confirmed the details, and the negotiations could collapse. But the report signals that live news is central to Apple’s Siri plans, and that the company expects the sources behind that news to be paid for it.
