In a bid to bolster its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, Apple has initiated discussions with major publishers, proposing multiyear deals valued at a minimum of $50 million. The tech giant seeks permission to leverage news content from publishers such as Condé Nast, NBC News, and IAC to train its generative AI systems, according to insiders familiar with the negotiations.

Condé Nast, renowned for publications like Vogue, Wired, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker, stands among the key publishers Apple has approached. NBC News and IAC, the owner of People, The Daily Beast, and Better Homes and Gardens, are also part of the discussions. Apple’s proposed deals encompass licensing agreements for archives of news articles.

While Apple’s overture has generated varied responses, with some publishers expressing optimism and others exhibiting hesitation, the company aims to utilize the vast pool of news data to refine its generative AI systems. Apple’s terms, however, have faced criticism for being overly expansive, leaving publishers potentially liable for legal issues arising from Apple’s use of their content.

Unlike some AI companies that scrape internet content without permission, Apple has taken a collaborative approach by seeking partnerships with publishers. The company’s commitment to user privacy has steered it away from sourcing information directly from the internet. Instead, Apple intends to draw on the expertise and content of established news organizations.

The move aligns with Apple’s broader push into the realm of AI, where it has been perceived as trailing behind competitors like Microsoft, Google, and Meta. While Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri, has seen limited evolution, the company is working on new AI features for iOS 18 and has internally tested an “AppleGPT” chatbot.

As the AI landscape evolves, incorporating generative AI into products, Apple’s strategic partnerships with news publishers could pave the way for more accurate and reliable AI models. The collaboration may extend beyond training generative AI, with Apple contemplating the integration of AI features across its app offerings, potentially including Apple News.

While the negotiation outcomes remain uncertain, Apple’s ambitious foray into news partnerships signals a significant step in harnessing the power of AI through collaboration with established content creators. As the discussions unfold, the tech community awaits the potential impact of this collaboration on the future landscape of AI technology.