Apple Seeking to Pay for Long-Term Siri AI News Access

Apple is looking for multi-year deals with publishers to give its Siri AI assistant access to news and real-time information. The partnerships are intended to bolster Siri’s real-time accuracy and utility after years of lagging behind rival AI assistants.

Rather than paying fixed, upfront licensing fees, which have been the standard approach for similar agreements in the industry, Apple is said to be proposing a variable compensation structure. Under the framework,  publishers could earn revenue based on how frequently Siri relies on or cites their reporting, offering media outlets greater visibility into usage.

Apple has discussed a nine-figure payout pool, according to people familiar with the matter. Its push for publisher partners comes as Apple refines its AI strategy following setbacks with automated notification summaries in late 2024, which generated inaccurate headlines and prompted the iPhone maker to disable the feature to make improvements.

The revamped Siri AI, previewed at WWDC, is slated to feature improved conversational capabilities, personal context awareness, and on-screen understanding. It is expected to be launched in September alongside new devices and OS upgrades.