Apple is pursuing usage-based content deals with news organizations to boost Siri's information-delivery capabilities.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 12th (local time) that Apple has approached several news outlets in recent months with a proposal to pay only when their content is actually used in Siri's answers and other outputs. The contracts would run for years, and total payments are expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars. The secured content is expected to be used for an AI-based Siri to be unveiled this fall with iOS 27.
The proposal is seen as potentially unfavorable to news outlets compared with existing big tech deals. Amazon struck a fixed-fee agreement to pay The New York Times (NYT) $20 million to $25 million a year. OpenAI with News Corp and Google with The Associated Press (AP) adopted hybrid models that add compensation tied to content exposure or usage on top of a base fee. By contrast, Apple's offer reportedly includes no minimum guarantee. If content usage is low, the revenue news outlets receive would also decline.
Apple's move is seen as an effort to improve Siri, which has been viewed as lagging in the AI race. In January, Apple teamed up with Google to revamp Siri based on Gemini, and plans to combine it with reliable, real-time news and information.
The new Siri, unveiled in June, understands what is on a user's screen to answer questions, and performs searches and tasks based on personal information stored across apps such as Messages, Email, and Photos. It will also add a feature that retrieves the latest information from the internet and a separate Siri app to review prior conversations. A beta service will launch for English users within the year, followed by expanded language support.
Apple tested an AI news summarization feature at the end of 2024, but halted the service after it sparked controversy by generating inaccurate headlines. Since 2019, it has worked with major outlets, including the WSJ, through the Apple News+ subscription service.