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Google has been quietly scaling a pay-per-value AI licensing scheme for publishers. But critics say the program looks less like a meaningful payout and more like a legal fig leaf.

The tech giant, which has steered clear of the large lump-sum licensing deals struck between other AI rivals like OpenAI and major news publishers, has been quietly testing a Search Console-based program that pays publishers when their content “significantly” contributes to AI-generated responses across Gemini, AI Overviews and AI mode, according to multiple industry sources close to the situation.

Once a publisher joins the “AI contribution pilot,” they receive an extra AI earnings widget via their Search Console dashboard. This displays a monthly earnings number (with some history), though no other detailed information on how payouts are calculated currently. Payments are based more on value than raw usage, meaning Google only pays when it judges that a piece of content has meaningfully contributed to an AI-generated response. Publishers can opt out at any time.

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The tennis US Open drew massive crowds to New York-based stadiums and record views in the last week. For example, ESPN’s opening day coverage was up 13% YoY. But the 2026 U.S. Open also put a major spotlight on how fans think creators should participate in these sporting events. 

This year, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) invited around 100 credentialed creators to attend matches. That’s nearly double the amount of creators invited in 2025, the first year USTA launched its creator cohort, which gave the program structure: instead of creators attending solely by way of brand tickets and invitations, it gave creators credentials and brands a list of attending creators. USTA was quoted last year saying the cohort generated more than 5.5 million social engagements.

But there’s been some serious backlash. During Naomi Osaka’s opening match on August 31, play was temporarily stopped after several people in a hospitality suite took flash photos during play. A viral video showed a woman using a ring light to take pictures of herself mid-match. ESPN reported the creators in question were not USTA credentials, but that didn’t take the heat off creators. 

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