Microsoft says it is working on the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), an AI licensing hub that displays the terms of use set by publishers. This way, AI companies can easily shop for terms and set up deals to use online content “grounding” their AI models, while content owners get usage-based reporting to help set prices.
Microsoft says it is designing the code with other companies, including PCM the verge Parent Vox Media, The Associated Press, Condé Nast, People, and others. The AI boom has been largely fueled by ingesting content without payment, and many of the publishers mentioned earlier have filed lawsuits and/or arranged content licensing deals as traffic from traditional sources declined. something, like the new York Times And blocking, has filed copyright lawsuits against both Microsoft and OpenAI.
There is also a publisher-backed open standard called Really Simple Licensing (RSL) that creates a framework aimed at keeping digital media businesses sustainable in the age of AI. It creates licensing terms into a publisher’s website, dictating how bots should be paid for scraping their sites.
Asked how or whether it might interact with PCM, Microsoft spokesperson Courtney Ramirez says the company plans to “work closely with publishing partners to build out this pilot experience,” but “doesn’t have anything specific to share today.”
According to Microsoft, with this setup, “Publishers will be paid on delivered value, and AI builders will receive scalable access to licensed premium content that improves their products.” The company says PCM will “support publishers of all sizes”, including large organizations and independent publications.
Microsoft writes, “The open web was built on an underlying value exchange where publishers made content accessible, and distribution channels – like search – helped people find it.” “That model doesn’t translate clearly to an AI-first world, where answers are increasingly given in conversations.”
Microsoft says it has begun onboarding partners, including Yahoo, as it continues to navigate the market and look to expand further.
Update, February 3: Added a response from Microsoft.
