Google Seeks News Partners for AI Licensing Pilot
Google is reportedly reaching out to national news organizations to join a pilot licensing project related to its AI initiatives. The tech giant aims to collaborate with around 20 news outlets, according to sources cited by Bloomberg News.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the company is experimenting with new partnership models but declined to share specific details at this time. This move could represent a significant shift, as media companies have struggled with declining readership and advertising revenue.
Unlike competitors such as Perplexity and OpenAI, which have established licensing deals to pay publishers for content, Google has so far limited such agreements to partnerships with the Associated Press and Reddit. The reported effort is said to focus on specific AI products, though details remain under wraps.
Context on AI and Media Relationships
Google’s AI Overviews—brief summaries generated by AI that appear at the top of search results—often cite news articles. Publishers argue that these summaries reduce direct traffic to their sites but hesitate to restrict access out of fear of losing visibility in Google Search.
The tension between media companies and AI developers isn’t new. Lawsuits like The New York Times' case against OpenAI and Microsoft highlight ongoing disputes over the use of copyrighted content to train AI models. A recent court ruling requires OpenAI to retain consumer ChatGPT and API data indefinitely, a decision currently under appeal due to privacy concerns.
More recently, AI firm Cohere faced a copyright infringement lawsuit for allegedly using thousands of copyrighted works without permission. Cohere maintains its training practices prioritize intellectual property controls and calls the lawsuit unfounded.
Magentic Raises $5.5 Million to Boost AI in Supply Chains
Magentic secured $5.5 million in funding to expand its AI agent platform, which identifies savings opportunities in manufacturing supply chains. The platform is built to work effectively even when data is incomplete or inconsistent, a common challenge in procurement environments.
One client saw the AI agents detect errors in 25% of procurement documents, while another saved 4% on machinery spare parts purchases. Magentic’s latest agents focus on supplier tariff claims and supplier relationship management, flagging issues like erroneous documents, problematic payment terms, and overlooked savings such as volume discounts.
Odhran O’Donoghue, Co-Founder and CTO, highlights that their technology can unify data across incompatible systems, enabling companies to deploy reliable AI tools that follow company policies to improve supplier and customer outcomes.
Industry Applications and Investor Support
Magentic serves clients in consumer packaged goods, pharmaceuticals, and advanced manufacturing across the U.S. and Europe. Sequoia Capital led the funding round, with partners emphasizing how Magentic’s AI agents act like dedicated team members—reviewing contracts, inspecting shipments, verifying invoices, and recovering lost costs.
This approach allows procurement teams to handle larger workloads without losing control, whether the goal is cost recovery or faster supply chain operations.
For product developers interested in AI applications in procurement and supply chain management, exploring AI training options can be valuable. Resources like Complete AI Training's latest AI courses offer practical insights into building and integrating AI tools effectively.
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