By Alice Chambers |
Microsoft has designed a new platform called the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM) to create a fair way for publishers to work with AI developers. The platform aims to tackle an imbalance where AI relies on publishers’ content but the value and compensation for that content aren’t always clear.
“The open web was built on an implicit value exchange where publishers made content accessible and distribution channels helped people find it, said Tim Frank, corporate vice president of Microsoft AI monetisation, in a blog titled ‘Building Toward a Sustainable Content Economy for the Agentic Web’. “That model does not translate cleanly to an AI-first world, where answers are increasingly delivered in a conversation. At the same time, much of the authoritative content lives behind paywalls or within specialised archives. As the AI web grows, publishers need sustainable, transparent ways to govern how their premium content is used and to license it when it makes the most sense.”
Microsoft built the PCM with input from several US publishers, including The Associated Press, Condé Nast and USA Today. It allows publishers to set their own pricing and usage terms, while AI developers can license trusted content for specific needs, such as news or research. Publishers earn payments based on how their content is used and the value it adds to AI responses.
Publishers can access usage reports to see how often their content is used, how it shapes AI responses and where demand is highest. This insight helps them understand its value and adjust their licensing strategies.