Google is widening its News AI pilot, a program that licenses content from publishers and uses it to experiment with AI features inside Google News. The company announced Thursday that new partnerships have pushed the total number of participating publications past 400, according to Nieman Lab. The expansion includes U.S. local news outlets, a notable step for a program that began in December with a smaller set of select publishers.
For local newsrooms, joining the pilot means their content becomes part of Google's AI testing ground, with potential implications for how readers discover and consume their reporting. The program gives Google a licensed, structured way to use publisher material while it develops AI tools, rather than scraping content without permission.
The move reflects a broader industry trend: news organizations are increasingly negotiating with tech platforms over how AI uses their work. While the pilot's long-term effects on traffic and revenue remain unclear, the rapid growth from a handful of partners to more than 400 suggests both sides see value in the experiment—or at least in shaping how it unfolds.