CNN, the Financial Times, Axios and more than 400 other publishers have joined Google’s AI news program, licensing their content for generative AI features while seeking new ways to drive audience engagement.
Google said Thursday that the program, which began as a pilot last year with partners including The Washington Post, has expanded globally. Under the agreements, publishers grant enhanced content rights that allow Google to develop new AI tools, and Google pays the news organizations. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal is CNN’s first major partnership since Paramount Skydance completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, as CEO David Ellison works to reposition the combined company as a technology-driven media business.
Google said the AI features will include clear attribution and direct links so readers can connect with original sources. CNN said the agreement fits its broader strategy of protecting its intellectual property and noted that it maintains multiple commercial partnerships and ongoing discussions with other companies.
The announcement arrives as many publishers intensify legal efforts to stop AI companies from using their content without permission to train large language models. News organizations are also facing declining referral traffic as search engines increasingly deliver AI-generated answers that let users consume information without visiting publisher websites.
CNN operates television, streaming and digital news services worldwide, including CNN International and CNN Originals, along with a direct-to-consumer subscription service and CNN Newsource.