AIBRIEF
The pay per use structure differs from the flat licensing fees OpenAI and other AI labs have typically paid for broad training access.
Apple is negotiating with news publishers to license their content for Siri AI on a pay-per-use basis, according to a Wall Street Journal report picked up by Engadget. Under the proposed structure, Apple would pay publishers a variable fee each time their work surfaces in Siri answers, rather than the flat, guaranteed licenses that OpenAI and other AI labs have typically paid for broad training access.
The talks mark Apple's second attempt to mix AI with news after a string of news-summary failures that drew publisher backlash. Siri AI is the long-delayed assistant Apple first showed at its 2024 developers conference, walked back for about two years, and resurfaced at WWDC 2026. It is expected to ship with iOS 27 later this year and runs on Google's Gemini AI models, which Apple is distilling for on-device use.
9to5Mac reports the proposed deals are multi-year and would grant Siri AI access to current events and other publisher information. The Journal did not name the publishers in talks; TheWrap puts the package in the nine-figure range, a figure not present in the WSJ or Engadget accounts. Apple has previously paid publishers for AI training rights under earlier agreements. Engadget's hands-on called the current build 'a major improvement' but said Apple still has 'a lot of catching up to do.'