AI Agents Are Media’s New Favorite Audience

Some news publishers are creating content specifically for AI agents, as more people use AI systems to find and consume news. The shift could change how journalism is presented and who its intended audience is, while publishers seek new ways to reach readers and protect or earn value from their reporting.

Axios is developing standardised text feeds that let agents access structured news: one for corporate clients’ merger and acquisition coverage launched this autumn, and a feed for training companies’ in-house AI models is planned for next year. A third feed would serve individual subscribers. Tech media company Every takes another approach, adding prompts to some articles so readers can explore ideas with AI; publishers are also pursuing AI visibility strategies and negotiating licensing deals, while The New York Times’ copyright case against OpenAI and Microsoft remains ongoing.