Microsoft says it’s building an app store to license AI content

Microsoft says it’s working on the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), an AI-powered licensing hub that displays terms of use set by publishers. This way, AI companies can easily buy terms and strike deals to use online content to “base” their AI models, while content owners get usage-based reports to help set prices.

Microsoft says it is designing the PCM with companies including… edge Parent company of Vox Media, The Associated Press, Condé Nast, People, and others. The AI ​​boom has been largely driven by content being ingested without paying, and many of the previously mentioned publishers have filed lawsuits and/or arranged content licensing deals as traffic from traditional sources declines. Some, like New York Times and Objection, Copyright lawsuits have been filed against both Microsoft and OpenAI.

There is also a publisher-supported open standard called Really Simple License (RSL) Which sets out a framework aimed at maintaining the sustainability of digital media businesses in the age of artificial intelligence. It builds the licensing terms into the publisher’s website, Dictating how robots are paid to scrape their sites, but Microsoft’s announcement didn’t mention how or if this would interact with PCM. Edge She reached out to Microsoft to request more information, but did not immediately receive a response.

According to Microsoft, with this setup, “publishers will be paid for the value provided, and AI creators will get scalable access to premium licensed content that improves their products.” The company adds that PCM will “support publishers of all sizes,” including large enterprises and independent publications.

“The open web was built on an implicit value exchange where publishers made content easily accessible, and distribution channels — like search — helped people find it,” Microsoft wrote. “This model does not clearly translate to the AI-first world, where answers are increasingly given in conversation.”

Microsoft says it has begun onboarding partners, including Yahoo, as it continues to experiment with the market and looks to expand further.