Meta has signed a multi-year agreement with Reuters to integrate news content into its Meta AI chatbot.
Under the deal, US users of Meta AI will get real-time access to Reuters news when asking questions about current events, Axios reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The Meta AI assistant, available across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, will quote Reuters articles and provide direct links to original reporting. Reuters will receive payment for providing access to its journalism, though specific terms weren't disclosed.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Axios that while the Reuters partnership helps with current information searches and "ensure a more useful experience for those seeking information on current events," it represents just one aspect of Meta AI's capabilities.
This marks Meta's first news deal in the AI era, coming after the company had scaled back news content across its social platforms. Meta hasn't disclosed whether the agreement allows Reuters content to be used for training its Llama language model.
OpenAI leads the way in AI-related media partnerships
The deal positions Meta to compete with OpenAI, which has already secured several media partnerships. ChatGPT's creator has agreements with major publishers including News Corp (Wall Street Journal, New York Post), Vox Media, The Atlantic, TIME, and the Financial Times.
These media deals raise serious concerns about content control. They give tech and AI companies unprecedented power to determine what news is distributed to whom. Media brands become less visible behind the interfaces of tech platforms, losing even more prominence than they have on social media. Users will miss out on the context that websites and newsrooms typically provide. OpenAI's selection process for media partners lacks transparency, with deals limited to certain publishers.
Worse, some companies, such as Google and AI startup Perplexity, are using media content without meaningful compensation. Google is using its market position to push publishers into AI-generated summaries, suggesting that blocking them could hurt their search rankings.
The New York Times and News Corp have taken legal action against Perplexity. "For the sake of our journalists, our writers, and our company, we must challenge the content kleptocracy," said News Corp CEO Robert Thomson.
