Reuters Partners with Meta on AI Initiative

Meta’s AI chatbot is set to start referencing Reuters’ reports when addressing news-related questions. The collaboration between Meta and Reuters is characterized as a “multi-year deal” by Axios, allowing Meta to incorporate Reuters’ content into its chatbot responses. This agreement is a first for Meta, coming at a time when news organizations are beginning to partner with AI companies.

A Meta spokesperson, Jamie Radice, stated via email that the company continuously aims to enhance its offerings, and through its partnership with Reuters, Meta AI will be able to provide summaries and links to Reuters content in response to news queries. Radice noted that while the primary use of Meta AI includes creative tasks and exploring new topics, this partnership will create a more informative experience for those inquiring about current events.

Reuters has not yet commented on the partnership.

According to Axios, Reuters will receive compensation for the inclusion of its content in Meta’s AI chatbot. This feature will be available to users in the United States through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Previously, many of Meta’s more prominent AI features were focused on character interactions, like celebrity chatbots, which the company recently discontinued, rather than focusing on current events. Radice did not provide information on safety measures for AI responses concerning news and current events.

Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, commented to The Verge about the rapid advancement of AI. Thompson expressed interest in being involved in the transition, regardless of its potential impact, believing that participation would likely benefit journalism.

Meta’s approach to including news in its AI chatbot is noteworthy, given its previous stance against featuring such content on Threads. Company executives have stated they will not actively promote hard news and political content. Although the AI chatbot is not linked with Meta’s X competitor, it appears that Meta aims to offer news access through its platforms while maintaining control over the delivery method.

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