Meta Expands AI with Real-Time News Partnerships

Meta announced on Friday an expansion of its artificial intelligence assistant, Meta AI, to deliver real-time news, entertainment, and lifestyle content directly within its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads. The update integrates material from a range of global publishers, allowing users to access summaries, headlines, and links to full articles when querying current events or trends.

Under the new feature, Meta AI responds to user questions by drawing from diverse content sources, providing timely information alongside direct links to the original publications. This aims to keep users informed without leaving the Meta ecosystem. The company described the partnerships as commercial agreements, under which publishers receive compensation for their content's use, though specific financial details were not disclosed. Meta emphasized that the links will drive traffic back to publishers' websites, potentially increasing their visibility among Meta's billions of users worldwide.

Initial partners include CNN, Fox News, Fox Sports, Le Monde Group, People Inc., USA Today, The Daily Caller, and The Washington Examiner. Meta stated it plans to add more outlets...