Microsoft launches marketplace for licensing content for AI tasks

On the platform, copyright holders such as publishers and media companies will be able to independently set the terms of use for their materials. AI developers, in turn, will have legal access to this content to train and improve their models.

According to Microsoft, the system will allow content owners to receive detailed reporting on the use of their materials, which will help determine fair pricing. For AI companies, this means scalable access to licensed premium content.

The platform will reportedly support publishers of all sizes. Major media companies, including Vox Media, The Associated Press, Condé Nast, and others, are already participating in the system's development. Microsoft has begun onboarding its first partners, such as Yahoo, and plans further expansion through testing.

The company explains that the new scheme is intended to change the previous model, under which publishers provided content in exchange for search engine traffic. With the proliferation of AI assistants that generate chat responses, often without going to the source, this model is becoming less effective. PCM must ensure that publishers are paid for their content and that AI companies have legal access to it.

The initiative comes amid numerous lawsuits in which some publications accuse tech companies of using their content without permission or payment.