Google and AP team up to deliver accurate, up-to-date news through Gemini, marking a major milestone in AI and journalism.
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| Google partners with The Associated Press to bring real-time news updates to its Gemini AI chatbot, enhancing AI-driven journalism. Image/ Illustration: ChicHue |
New York, USA - January 17, 2025:
Google has signed a groundbreaking deal with The Associated Press (AP) to integrate real-time news updates into its AI-powered chatbot, Gemini. This marks Google’s first collaboration with a news publisher to enhance its generative AI platform.
The partnership, announced in a blog post on Wednesday, will provide Gemini users with a live feed of accurate, up-to-date news. Google described the move as a step toward improving the relevance and quality of information delivered by its AI products.
Kristin Heitmann, AP’s chief revenue officer, highlighted the long-standing relationship between the organizations. “We are pleased Google recognizes the value of AP’s journalism as well as our commitment to nonpartisan reporting in the development of its generative AI products,” she said.
While financial details of the agreement remain undisclosed, Google declined to specify how it would credit AP’s content or link back to original articles.
Gemini, formerly known as Bard, is Google’s response to the growing demand for generative AI tools capable of creating text, generating images, and performing various tasks. This deal builds on AP’s efforts to diversify its revenue streams, following a similar partnership with OpenAI in 2023, which allowed the company to license AP’s news archives for AI training.
However, these collaborations come amid heightened concerns about the use of journalistic material by AI companies. News organizations, including The New York Times, have filed lawsuits against AI developers like OpenAI, accusing them of copyright infringement. Critics argue that tech companies often use public content without adequate compensation, potentially undermining traditional journalism by diverting advertising revenue.
Experts believe such partnerships are both necessary and fraught with risks for news organizations. Alex Mahadevan, director of The Poynter Institute’s Mediawise initiative, noted, “Publishers are at a disadvantage as tech companies integrate AI-generated summaries of information into their services. These deals, however, provide much-needed revenue and improve the quality of online information.”
Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute, emphasized the potential dangers of such partnerships. “By outsourcing their value to tech companies, news outlets risk losing control over how their work is used and monetized,” she said.
Despite these challenges, the AP’s deal with Google reflects the evolving landscape of journalism, where partnerships with AI companies offer a way to adapt to the industry’s financial struggles while ensuring high-quality news continues to reach global audiences.