Google expands its AI news program as CNN and Axios sign on

Google’s experiment in paying publishers to feed its AI has gained some big names. CNN, Axios, the Financial Times and Forbes are among the newest participants in the company’s News AI pilot program. The headliner is CNN. On October 15, 2026, the network announced a multi-year partnership with Google to license its content for experimental generative AI features across Google products. What CNN and Google agreed to The deal is built around compensation. CNN gets paid for granting Google expanded rights to its content, and the two sides will explore new ways to connect audiences with CNN’s reporting. How much money is involved remains unknown. Neither company disclosed financial terms. CNN’s Sam Felix framed the partnership as a way for the network to discover new routes to its audience. The idea is to use Google’s generative AI tools to make CNN’s journalism easier to access. CNN is not treating Google as an exclusive suitor. The network has indicated that several other commercial AI partnerships are currently under discussion. A pilot that grew up fast Google’s News AI pilot launched in December 2025. Its early partners included The Washington Post and Der Spiegel. As of October 1...