Apple has held discussions with news publishers about using their content to power the upcoming Siri AI, The Wall Street Journal reported on August 13, 2026. The talks cover granting the assistant access to current news and information rather than relying solely on other data sources.
Publisher payments and proposed model
According to the report, Apple has proposed a variable compensation model that would pay publishers when their content is used, instead of paying a fixed licensing fee. That approach departs from the more common industry practice of guaranteed fees tied to broad access to content, the report said.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Apple has considered a nine‑figure budget for these payments. The proposal would link publisher revenue directly to instances in which Siri AI draws on their articles to answer user queries or surface news.
Timing and broader context
The discussions with publishers reportedly took place in recent months as Apple works to upgrade Siri after several years of promises to deliver a smarter assistant. Siri AI is expected to roll out later this year, the report added.
Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The details published by The Wall Street Journal indicate a shift toward pay‑as‑you‑go arrangements for news content licensing, though the report does not confirm whether final agreements have been reached or which publishers, if any, have accepted the terms.
The reported plan would tie compensation to usage metrics and contemplated a large budget, but specific contractual terms, implementation timelines and publisher participation remain unconfirmed in the report.
Original source: TechCrunch AI