‘Wooing and suing’ defines News Corp’s AI strategy
Robert Thomson of News Corp says ‘wooing and suing’ will run in parallel as more AI licensing deals come together.
News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson warned AI companies against using unlicensed publisher content, calling recipients of ‘stolen goods’ fair game for pursuit. He said ‘wooing and suing’ would proceed in parallel, with more licensing deals expected after the OpenAI pact.
Thomson argued that high-quality data must be paid for and that ingesting material without permission undermines incentives to produce journalism. He insisted that ‘content crime does not and will not pay,’ signalling stricter enforcement ahead.
While criticising bad actors, he praised partners that recognise publisher IP and are negotiating usage rights. The company is positioning itself to monetise archives and live reporting through structured licences.
He also pointed to a major author settlement with another AI firm as a watershed for compensation over past training uses. The message: legal and commercial paths are both accelerating.
Against this backdrop, News Corp said AI-related revenues are gaining traction alongside digital subscriptions and B2B data services. Further licensing announcements are likely in the coming months.
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