Fighting for the future with cash in one hand and a gavel in the other

Another blow to Google's bottom line in the EU, a new AI battle, "smart" LLMs, and a chatbot for media and journalists, all in this week's Content Aware.

Published: 15:12, 19 June 2025

Corbidge comments on... the value of information
Even when information isn't perfectly polished, it can still be trusted. The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 sheds some light on key trends, but also reveals certain biases and blind spots such as limited coverage of platforms like Google Discover. With audiences increasingly questioning impartiality and transparency, trust remains a major challenge for news outlets. Our walking news report Rob discusses the challenges and concerns journalism faces in today's digital reality.
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Reading the future
Grab a seat and a tea/coffee and settle into the report here. The Digital News Report 2025 has amongst its vast trove of insight facts like the rise of social and video apps in the USA as the top media source, offering publishers options to get where they perhaps could not before. Nieman Lab discusses the industries tough choice: adapt or be left behind.
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OpenAI vs Microsoft: trillion dollar trouble
OpenAI and Microsoft, once AI's dream duo, are now in somewhat of a messy standoff. OpenAI needs Microsoft's nod to become a public-benefit company and unlock $20B from SoftBank - but there are some hurdles to overcome. Behind the curtain, OpenAI is toying with antitrust accusations, peeved over IP squabbles (someone mentioned Windsurf?) and future AI control. Officially, it's fine. Unofficially, the trust battery is running rather low.
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Reddit ignites AI data battle with Anthropic
Reddit has taken a swing at Anthropic for sneaking off with its data without making a sound, while OpenAI and Google have been politely writing cheques for it. This isn't the usual copyright battle, it's more about contracts, unfair play, and lining pockets on the sly. Anthropic's chief has openly admitted to using Reddit's content, leaning on fair use as their "get out of jail" card. But Reddit's not having it, pointing out that there is a perfectly good market for licensing and that Anthropic's skipping the queue. Reddit calling out Anthropic will shine a light on two things: first, is Anthropic as ethical as they like to claim, and second, how do AI firms gather their precious training data.
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UK Tech Chief: embrace AI or risk being left in the dust
UK's tech supremo Peter Kyle is urging workers to jump on the AI bandwagon, or risk watching the future pass them by. The plan? To train 7.5 million Brits by 2030. Of course, there is that pesky narrative around AI eating up jobs in law and finance, but Kyle insists it'll cook up new roles instead. Meanwhile, he's promising a "reset" on the AI copyright mess, because apparently, balancing creators' rights with Big Tech's ever growing appetite for content is trickier than expected. The question remains: will this rosy vision pan out, or is it just a bit of an optimistic spin on a rather grim situation?
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LLMs: quick to learn, even quicker to repeat fake news
Even the smartest AI can be fooled. SEO master Lily Ray conducted a cheeky experiment which fed made-up SEO rankings to several major large language models, and within a day, many regurgitated these nonsense claims back as fact. This quick test underscores a growing problem: as AI scrambles to stay current, it risks becoming a megaphone for nonsense unless it learns to fact-check better, and fast. It can't be an afterthought, or trust will slip away.
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New AI tools to squeeze more juice from user chatter
Reddit's latest AI advertising toys have arrived and they promise more bang for your buck. Their "Reddit Insights powered by Community Intelligence" offers marketers a live wire into trending topics and a playground. Agencies like Publicis Groupe are already on board, with a broader rollout imminent. All of this is coming as the ad world tightens its belt and eyes AI like it's the next shiny saviour in a rather bruised and beaten market. This space is where AI meets marketing hustle - for better or worse.
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EU advisor backs landmark Google android fine
The EU's long-running grudge match with Google gets a boost, as a court adviser sides with the €4.125 billion fine over Android strong-arming. Things such as preloading apps, locking down modified versions - all the classics of the market bully playbook. Google trumpets choice and innovation, but Brussels isn't buying it. If the court follows suit, this could be a blueprint for clipping Silicon Valley's wings. Is a fine a tariff by a different name?
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Ask INMA: AI-powered answer engine for news pros
INMA has just rolled out "Ask INMA", an AI answer engine that's a proper step up from the usual generic chatbots. It digs deeper into their exclusive archive to bring media-savvy insights, not just bland summaries, and smarter, more useful answers - perfect for newsrooms wanting to cut through the clutter.
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Readers haven't vanished, they just moved on
It seems that readers haven't vanished, but they just packed up and moved to Reddit and Facebook. The digital front door might've changed, but people are still knocking, they just don't use search the same way they used to. But, that doesn't mean we should pretend that platforms are doing us a huge favour, journalism still fuels their engagement and yet still gets offered peanuts in return. It's less "partnership" and more "please may we have a crumb of visibility, sir?" The industry's message is simple: value the content, pay for the work, and don't bury the links under a pile of algorithmic fluff. Sustainable journalism doesn't need polite applause, it needs proper support.
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AI "therapists" slammed
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been nudged into action by a chorus of mental health and digital rights groups, who claim chatbots posing as therapists are playing doctors without licence. Meta and Character.AI are in the crosshairs for allegedly letting bots dole out therapy, complete with fake credentials and soothing platitudes, to millions. Critics are arguing it's not just misleading, but it is outright dangerous, especially when vulnerable users take bots at their word. With privacy holes and questionable ethics baked in, the line between innovation and irresponsibility is looking awfully blurry. It would seem that therapy is the latest industry AI forgot to ask permission to join.
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Meta's free speech gamble backfires?
Is social media moderation a must? According to a report written by Jenna Sherman at UltraViolet, Ana Clara-Toledo at All Out, and Leanna Garfield at GLAAD, Meta has taken a sharp U-turn, loosening hate speech rules under the guise of "free expression". The report claims that users feel less protected and more targeted by harmful content since January, while Meta's leadership seem to be distracted by grand AI ambitions. Meanwhile, the report says, their platform risks turning into a toxic Wild West, accompanied by misinformation and spam.
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AI arms race: cash, chaos, and corporate clashes
Meta's handing out $100 million pay checks like they're party favours, seemingly hoping to lure AI brains away from OpenAI and Google. While Zuckerberg's team tries to buy innovation, OpenAI's and Microsoft's lot are politely declining those offers and cosying up to investors and playing the hype game. In the meantime, both camps are gearing up to shove more AI down our throats via "smart" social feeds, because what the world needs right now is more algorithmic meddling in our lives. In the end, it's a kerfuffle between two sets of corporate power players, each just as eager to dominate - whether through shiny pay packets or slick marketing.
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Writing smart for AI
Ever wondered if writing for AI means just chopping up text into neat little chunks? Turns out, it's a bit more nuanced. Recent tests show that clear Q&A formats and well-structured content beat dense, rambling prose every time when it comes to getting picked up by AI search. So, while chunking matters, how you organise your content might matter even more. Chris Green sheds more light on the evolving AI content game.
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