Microsoft is building content licensing marketplace for AI
04 Feb 2026

Microsoft is developing a new platform called the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM).

The PCM will serve as an AI licensing hub, displaying usage terms set by publishers.

This initiative will allow AI companies to easily access these terms and negotiate deals for using online content to "ground" their AI models.

At the same time, content owners will receive usage-based reporting, which can help them set prices effectively.

Collaboration with major media companies
Partnerships

The development of PCM has been a collaborative effort, with Microsoft working closely with several major media companies.

These include Vox Media, The Associated Press, Conde Nast, and People.

The move comes in light of the AI boom being largely driven by content consumed without payment.

Many of these publishers have either sued or struck content licensing deals as traditional traffic declines.

Publishers will be paid on delivered value
Goal

The primary goal of PCM, according to Microsoft, is to ensure that "publishers will be paid on delivered value."

This would give AI builders scalable access to licensed premium content that improves their products.

The company has also stressed that the PCM will "support publishers of all sizes," from large corporations to independent publications.

Integration with Really Simple Licensing
RSL interaction

The Really Simple Licensing (RSL), a publisher-backed open standard, lays out a framework for keeping the digital media business sustainable in the age of AI.

It integrates licensing terms into a publisher's website, dictating how bots should pay to scrape their sites.

When asked about its interaction with PCM, Microsoft spokesperson Courtney Ramirez said that they plan "to work closely with publishing partners as we build this pilot experience."

Microsoft's vision for an AI-first world
Vision

Microsoft has shared its vision for an AI-first world, saying that the open web was built on an implicit value exchange where publishers made content accessible.

However, this model doesn't translate cleanly to an AI-first world, where answers are increasingly delivered in a conversation.

The company has already started onboarding partners like Yahoo as it continues to pilot the marketplace and plans to expand further.