Microsoft strikes Australian-first AI news deal with Nine

Nine Entertainment has signed an Australian-first AI content agreement with Microsoft, allowing its mastheads to inform responses generated by Microsoft Copilot.

The deal will allow Copilot to reference the text of Nine’s content, including material beyond paywalled previews, when generating AI search responses.

The agreement covers The Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and WAToday.

Nine and Microsoft said the arrangement would allow Copilot to ground outputs in verified reporting while displaying snippets, headlines and summaries, with links directing users back to Nine’s newspapers for the full story.

The deal marks a significant moment for Australian media companies as they look to protect the value of their journalism while opening new revenue streams from AI platforms.

It follows a growing number of licensing agreements between major publishers and AI companies globally, including News Corp’s multi-year global partnership with OpenAI announced in 2024.

Nine CEO Matt Stanton said the Microsoft agreement recognised the role of professional journalism in improving AI outputs.

“We are delighted to partner with Microsoft on this agreement. As AI continues to evolve, the role of verified, premium journalism in grounding these outputs is essential,” Stanton said in a statement.

“This collaboration is a win-win, delivering for users of AI while respecting copyright and protecting the long-term value of our intellectual property.”

Microsoft Australia and New Zealand president Jane Livesey (pictured) said access to trusted sources was becoming more important as Australians increasingly used AI tools to find information.

“AI is transforming the way Australians connect with information, and access to trustworthy sources has never mattered more,” Livesey said.

“Our agreement with Nine will ground responses from Microsoft Copilot in trusted mastheads, giving people verified facts, a clear path to the full story, and confidence in what they read.

“Forward-thinking partnerships like this show how technology and media companies can work together to ensure a thriving future for Australian journalism.”

Nine said the agreement was the first of its kind for Microsoft in the Asia Pacific region.

Tory Maguire, managing director, publishing at Nine Entertainment, said the deal represented a significant milestone in the relationship between Australian media companies and AI-focused technology companies.

“I’m delighted to reach this deal that delivers for both readers of our content and users of Microsoft AI,” Maguire said.

“Microsoft has been a proactive, engaged partner who is committed to attribution of sources. This continues to unlock new revenue opportunities for our mastheads as the media ecosystem continues to evolve, supporting local and trusted Australian journalism.

“It means helping Microsoft connect users with more informed, high-quality information through its AI offerings while also delivering for content owners.”

Maguire said the deal would help Nine meet readers where they are, while ensuring AI-generated responses are grounded in verified reporting.

“By providing important context for Copilot we ensure AI outputs are grounded in verified facts, with an easy click through to our websites to read the full article,” she said.

The agreement comes as publishers continue to test how journalism should be valued, attributed and monetised inside generative AI products.

For Microsoft, the deal gives Copilot access to Australian news content from some of the country’s best-known mastheads. For Nine, it creates a new commercial pathway for its journalism at a time when AI platforms are reshaping how audiences discover information.