Microsoft is building a dedicated store for AI content licensing

Microsoft is developing a new platform called Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM). PCM is actually a license buying and selling center for content made with artificial intelligence, and publishers can determine the terms of use of their content.

Microsoft says the move aims to create an environment where AI companies can easily purchase licenses to use their models’ online content. Also, content owners can get detailed reports of their content usage and price accordingly.

The Redmond giant has also announced that it will design this platform in collaboration with companies such as the Associated Press (AP).

PCM was introduced by Microsoft while the number of content created with artificial intelligence has grown a lot in the past few days and have dominated social networks. Also, many models collect content from the web without paying. This issue caused Microsoft and OpenAI to face copyright lawsuits from major publishers.

An open source standard supported by publishers called RSL has also been introduced. The framework aims to define how bots are paid to extract data from sites by placing license terms on publishers’ websites to keep the digital media business model sustainable. Microsoft spokeswoman Courtney Ramirez told The Verge that the company plans to work closely with publishing partners during the PCM trial period, but had no further details to share at this time.

According to Microsoft, with this new structure, publishers will get paid based on the value they deliver, and AI developers will get access to premium and authoritative content to improve their products. Microsoft emphasized that PCM supports publishers of all sizes, from large organizations to independent publications.

The company writes in its statement:

“The open web was built on an implicit exchange of value; Publishers make content available, and distribution channels like search engines help people find it. “But this model no longer works in an AI-based world where answers are provided directly in a conversation.”

Currently, Microsoft has started the process of attracting partners, and big names like Yahoo have also joined this pilot project.