Meta signs a multimillion dollar AI licensing deal with News Corp
Source: Engadget
Deal Details
Meta has signed an AI licensing deal with News Corp that will allow Meta to use content from The Wall Street Journal and other News Corp brands in its chatbot responses and for training its AI models. News Corp confirmed the deal to Engadget but did not disclose the specific terms. According to The Wall Street Journal, Meta will pay News Corp up to $50 million a year for a three‑year agreement covering content from The Journal and the media giant’s other U.S. and U.K. brands.
Background
- Previous OpenAI deal: News Corp previously struck a five‑year agreement with OpenAI valued at around $250 million.
- CEO comments: At Morgan Stanley’s annual Technology, Media & Telecom (TMT) conference, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson hinted the company was in the “advanced stage with other negotiations.”
Negotiation Strategy
Thomson described News Corp’s approach as a “woo and a sue” strategy:
“We have what you might call a woo and a sue strategy. We’ll woo you. We’d like you to be our partner. But if you’re stealing our stuff, we are going to sue you. So there’ll be a discount for those who hand themselves in, and there’ll be a penalty for those that resist.”
Meta’s Licensing Activity
A Meta spokesperson confirmed that the two companies have reached an agreement. Meta has been reorganizing its AI teams while securing multiple licensing deals, including multi‑year agreements with:
- USA Today
- People
- CNN
- Fox News
- Other outlets
Meta stated that integrating a broader range of news sources aims to improve Meta AI’s ability to deliver timely, relevant content with diverse viewpoints.
“By integrating more and different types of news sources, our aim is to improve Meta AI’s ability to deliver timely and relevant content and information with a wide variety of viewpoints and content types.”
Update
March 3, 2026, 4:18 PM PT: The story was updated with additional information from a Meta spokesperson.
This article originally appeared on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-signs-a-multimillion-dollar-ai-licensing-deal-with-news-corp-234157902.html?src=rss