Microsoft is developing a new platform called the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), an AI content licensing hub designed to help AI companies legally access and use online content for training their models. The marketplace will display clear usage terms set by publishers, enabling AI developers to easily review, license, and pay for content while ensuring publishers receive usage-based reporting to help determine fair pricing. Microsoft is co-developing the PCM with major media organizations including Vox Media (parent of The Verge), The Associated Press, Condé Nast, People, and others. The initiative comes amid growing tensions between AI companies and content creators, as the rapid expansion of generative AI has been fueled largely by web content scraped without compensation. In response, publishers like The New York Times and The Intercept have filed copyright lawsuits against both Microsoft and OpenAI, while others have negotiated licensing deals to regain control and revenue. The PCM aligns with the broader industry effort to establish sustainable business models for digital content in the AI era. It supports the Really Simple Licensing (RSL) standard—an open framework developed by publishers to embed licensing rules directly into websites, guiding how bots and AI systems should access and pay for content. When asked about integration with RSL, Microsoft spokesperson Courtney Ramirez said the company plans to collaborate closely with publishing partners during the pilot phase but did not provide specific details at this time. Microsoft emphasizes that the PCM will enable publishers of all sizes—both large media conglomerates and independent outlets—to benefit from AI-driven demand. Under the model, publishers are compensated based on actual usage, creating a value-driven exchange. The company argues that the traditional web model, where content was freely available in exchange for traffic, no longer works in an AI-first world where answers are delivered through conversational interfaces rather than search results. The platform is currently in pilot testing, with initial partners including Yahoo. Microsoft says it is actively expanding the program and aims to scale the marketplace to support broader adoption across the publishing ecosystem.