**Microsoft’s AI Marketplace Will Compensate Publishers for Content Use**
*By Mudit Dube | Sep 24, 2025*
Microsoft is reportedly developing a new platform called the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), designed to compensate publishers whenever their content is used by AI products. This system will be integrated with Microsoft’s Copilot assistant, marking a significant step toward monetizing intellectual property in the AI age.
**Pilot Program and Expansion Plans**
According to Axios, Microsoft has already initiated discussions with select U.S. publishers about a pilot program for the PCM. The marketplace will initially launch with a limited number of partners, but the company plans to gradually onboard more publishers over time.
Last week, Microsoft presented the idea to publishing executives at an exclusive Partner Summit held in Monaco. The company emphasized the message: “You deserve to be paid on the quality of your IP.” However, no specific date has been announced for the pilot launch yet.
**Industry and Regulatory Challenges**
The move comes amid growing tension between content creators and AI companies. For example, The Authors Guild recently filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that authors like George R. R. Martin and John Grisham had their books used illegally as training data.
In response, a coalition of more than 200 news organizations has called on the U.S. government to intervene. They are urging federal agencies to establish regulations that require AI companies to obtain consent and pay for published content. Additionally, these media groups warn about the risks posed by AI “hallucinations,” where models generate false information and inaccurately attribute it to reputable publications.
**Microsoft’s Marketplace Model**
Microsoft is the first major company to create a dedicated AI marketplace aimed at publishers. In contrast, other AI labs like OpenAI have relied primarily on one-off licensing agreements rather than building platforms for ongoing transactions.
Meanwhile, companies such as Cloudflare are exploring technical solutions at the network level to address similar content usage and attribution issues.
With PCM, Microsoft appears to be positioning itself as a leader in establishing a fair and sustainable ecosystem for content creators and AI development alike.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/microsoft-launches-program-to-pay-publishers-for-copilot-ai-content/story
