Meta to pay News Corp up to US$50m a year for AI content

Meta has signed a multiyear AI content licensing deal with News Corp, worth up to US$50 million a year, as publishers push to be paid for content used in generative AI tools.

The agreement will run for at least three years and gives Meta access to News Corp’s US and UK news content, including archives, to help train AI models and retrieve information for users of Meta’s AI products.

The deal was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

What does the Meta–News Corp deal cover?

• Term: At least three years
• Value: Up to US$50 million per year (financial terms have been reported, not publicly detailed by the companies)
• Content scope: News Corp content from the US and UK, including story archives
• Use cases: Training AI models and retrieving information for responses in Meta’s AI products

News Corp Chief Executive Robert Thomson flagged this week that the company was in “an advanced stage” of negotiations on additional AI arrangements, speaking at a Morgan Stanley investor conference. “You won’t have too long to wait,” he said.

Why publishers are doing AI deals

The agreement adds to a growing list of media partnerships aimed at ensuring publishers are compensated when their journalism helps power AI products, including chatbots that answer questions using current news coverage and archived reporting.

For Meta, the move follows its broader push to incorporate more real-time news and information into Meta AI via licensing arrangements with selected publishers, announced late last year.

How this fits with News Corp’s wider AI strategy

News Corp has already signed a separate content agreement with OpenAI in 2024, which was reported at the time as being worth more than US$250 million over five years. The company has also pursued legal action against some AI firms it alleges have used content without permission.

In Australia, Michael Miller, Executive Chair, News Corp Australasia, has warned 2026 will be a “make or break” year for the local news industry as AI reshapes how audiences discover and consume journalism, and as publishers confront ongoing concerns about scraping and reuse of content.

Top image: Michael Miller

Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox.