June 23, 2025 | SIGN UP

Sara Jerde

Sara Jerde
DIGIDAY, MANAGING EDITOR

If 2023 was the year the industry started talking about generative AI and 2024 was the year it started shaking hands and drying ink over partnership deals — 2025 is the year for case examples of how the tech is being used.

I asked one publisher in Cannes last week what word they would use to describe the tone of their meetings with potential AI partners along the Croisette. They said “curious.” Each AI company was pitching a particular perk, not every conversation was one size fits all. And their legal team wasn’t involved yet.

Publishers still feel like they have some bargaining power going up against the likes of OpenAI and Perplexity et al. What’s sticking?

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