Google’s New AI Licensing Model Is A Black Box; Streamlining The Lobbying Process | AdExchanger

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Home Daily News Roundup Google’s New AI Licensing Model Is A Black Box; Streamlining The Lobbying Process

Daily News Roundup
Google’s New AI Licensing Model Is A Black Box; Streamlining The Lobbying Process By AdExchanger

Tuesday, September 15th, 2026 – 12:03 am
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Value Judgments 
Google is finally striking serious AI licensing deals with publishers.
But Google won’t be paying publishers every time its AI crawls their content or, as the IAB recommends, every time that content is used by AI to respond to a user’s query. 
Instead, Google is taking a new route that’s much harder to measure. Its new licensing scheme is “pay per value,” which means Google decides how valuable publisher content was for generating responses across Gemini, AI Overviews and AI Mode, Digiday reports.
Dozens of publishers have been approached about participating in a pilot program for the new licensing model. Participants get an AI earnings widget added to their Google Search Console that displays monthly AI earnings – but does not explain how these payouts were calculated.
Google only pays publishers when their content “significantly” contributes to an AI response, per several industry sources familiar with the pilot. Google says the pilot is an early-stage gauge of the best ways to reward high-quality content, but as of right now, there’s no clear metric for measuring the degree of quality.
Still, many publishers would rather be “inside Google’s licensing tent,” as Digiday puts it, rather than waiting on the sidelines.
Other publishers are less enthused, calling the system “quite black box,” and saying that the early returns have been “peanuts” when compared to their overall ad revenue.
Mr. Netflix Goes To Washington 
A rising tide lifts all boats – or, in this case, streams?
Netflix, Amazon and YouTube have joined forces to lobby the government on behalf of the streaming entertainment industry, Axios reports. Called the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance, the new group is an offshoot of a trade organization of tech CEOs and senior executives called TechNet. 
Streaming companies are no stranger to lobbying, as Puck reported back in August. In fact, Netflix currently outlobbies many of the entertainment industry’s biggest companies and trade unions, including the Motion Picture Association. 
What’s different about this new endeavor is that it appears to be a response to recent government investigations into live sports moving to subscription streaming, at least according to Axios. This year, the FCC, the DOJ and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation have pushed back against the migration of sports from free channels to paid services.
Live sports is a big revenue generator for streaming TV. Even on ad-free subscription tiers, these platforms still show ads to users during live sports content. And sports is such a moneymaker that streamers are rushing to strike multimillion-dollar licensing deals with major professional leagues before their competitors can.
But, ultimately, all the streamers are benefiting from live sports deals, even if sports fans aren’t thrilled. So it’s just smart business for rival companies to work together and convince elected officials not to call foul on these deals.
Digital Markets Balancing Act
The European Union is the butt of plenty of well-earned jokes about its consumer internet experience. (The GDPR consent pop-ups will continue until morale improves.) 
However, it’s worth calling out when the EU scores a win for everyone – as appears to be the case with Apple’s new integration with third-party LLMs.
A developer sleuth by the name of “pdfu” recently spotted examples of an unreleased iOS feature that replaces Apple’s Siri assistant with a “Model Manager Services” tab for agents like ChatGPT or Claude, MacRumors reports. 
Meanwhile, the new iOS 27 Apple released this week includes only one comparably shallow integration that allows Siri to call upon ChatGPT via an extension – although the responses come back in Siri’s voice and UI. 
So, while none of the most interesting hypothetical updates is live, MacRumors writes, “it at least shows how extensively Apple has engineered Siri for future model interoperability.”
And Apple wouldn’t be even thinking about embedding third-party AI models that supersede Siri if not for the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires the biggest platforms to allow third-party software alternatives in consumer tech categories. 
Google also recently changed how it displays search results in the EU to comply with the DMA. Google frames it as a degradation of its search quality (and perhaps it is). But regulators argue the changes push sponsored units down the page and create visibility for a wider range of businesses.
But Wait! There’s More!
ChatGPT has a new chatbot-native ad format, which features a click to chat rather than click to site. [Digiday]
What’s the approach of OpenAI’s VP of creative, Zach Stubenvoll? [Ad Age] 
OpenAI delays its plans to go public this year, citing safety concerns around AI. [Mashable] 
NFL RedZone was criticized by subscribers for introducing ads to its previously ad-free experience last football season. After promising to dial back the ads, it cut its ad load by 50% during the first week of games for this season. [Awful Announcing]
Meta removes certain invasive data-gathering prompts from its Meta AI software that a parenting blogger flagged could be used to stitch together sensitive information about a user’s family. [CNET]
The rise of AI-generated books is starting to affect the revenue of human authors. [Fortune]
You’re Hired!
Stagwell-owned agency Assembly names Liz Rutgersson as its CEO for global and North American markets and appoints Connie Chan as CEO of the APAC region. [Adweek]
TubeScience hires Brad Murphy as president of brand direct sales. [Adweek]
Method1, a media agency focused on behavioral science, appoints Jessy Magor as head of growth. [release]
Here’s today’s AdExchanger.com news round-up… Want it by email? Sign up here.

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Google has introduced a new AI licensing model for publishers focused on "pay per value," where Google determines the worth of publisher content based on its contribution to generating responses across platforms like Gemini, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. This system is currently operating as a black box, and publishers are participating in a pilot program where they receive an AI earnings widget in their Google Search Console, though the specific calculation method remains undisclosed. Google only compensates publishers when their content "significantly" contributes to an AI response, yet a clear metric for assessing this quality is currently absent. While some publishers are interested in joining this licensing structure, others express skepticism regarding the system, noting that initial returns are insignificant compared to overall advertising revenue.

In the realm of streaming entertainment, major companies including Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube have formed the Streaming Access and Choice Alliance, an organization derived from TechNet, to engage in lobbying efforts. This coalition appears to be a strategic response to governmental scrutiny regarding the migration of live sports broadcasting to subscription streaming services, as the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Justice, and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation have expressed opposition to this shift. Since live sports represent substantial revenue streams, streamers are motivated to secure multi-million dollar licensing deals with professional leagues, which benefits all involved parties by influencing elected officials to support these arrangements.

The regulatory environment, particularly within the European Union, is significantly shaping AI integration through legislation like the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This act mandates that large platforms grant access to third-party software alternatives in consumer technology categories. For instance, Apple has engineered Siri for future model interoperability, creating an environment where it can integrate third-party AI models such as ChatGPT or Claude via extensions in iOS 27, a move facilitated by the DMA. Google has also adjusted how it presents search results in the EU to comply with the DMA; regulators argue these changes serve to push sponsored content down the page and increase exposure for a broader range of businesses, framing the changes as a degradation of search quality.

Beyond platform regulation, there are several developments concerning the artificial intelligence industry and media practices. OpenAI has postponed its plans for a public offering due to ongoing safety concerns related to AI technology. In ad formats, ChatGPT introduced a new chatbot-native option featuring a click to chat rather than a traditional click to site. Meanwhile, industry practices have seen adjustments, such as NFL RedZone reducing ad load following subscriber complaints, and Meta removing certain data-gathering prompts from its Meta AI software to protect sensitive user information. Furthermore, the proliferation of AI-generated books is beginning to influence the revenue streams of human authors. In related organizational news, various agencies and media groups have made executive appointments, including the hiring of Liz Rutgersson and Connie Chan by the Stagwell-owned agency Assembly, and the hiring of Brad Murphy by TubeScience.