In a strategic pivot from its legal stance against AI companies, The New York Times has signed its first AI content licensing agreement with Amazon, marking a significant development in the evolving relationship between media organizations and technology companies.
The multi-year deal, announced on May 29, 2025, allows Amazon to use The Times' editorial content across its AI platforms, including its recently revamped Alexa+ voice assistant. The agreement encompasses news articles from The Times as well as content from NYT Cooking and sports website The Athletic. According to the announcement, the partnership includes "real-time display of summaries and short excerpts of Times content within Amazon products and services, such as Alexa, and training Amazon's proprietary foundation models."
This partnership comes at a critical juncture for both industries. For Amazon, the deal bolsters its AI capabilities as it attempts to revitalize Alexa with generative AI features to compete with rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Amazon unveiled Alexa+ in February 2025, offering enhanced conversational abilities and agentic features that allow it to complete tasks independently. The service costs $19.99 monthly but is free for Prime members.
For The Times, this represents a notable shift in strategy. The publisher has been engaged in a high-profile copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft since December 2023, alleging they used millions of Times articles without permission to train their AI models. A federal judge allowed the case to proceed in March 2025, rejecting OpenAI's request to dismiss the lawsuit. By contrast, this Amazon deal suggests The Times is pursuing a dual approach: litigation against unauthorized use while establishing commercial partnerships for licensed content.
The agreement follows similar partnerships between AI companies and other media organizations. OpenAI previously secured licensing deals with the Associated Press, Axel Springer (owner of Politico and Business Insider), and others. Amazon's Alexa+ system already incorporates partnerships with news organizations including Reuters, TIME, USA TODAY, and Politico.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the deal underscores the growing recognition that quality journalism has value in the AI ecosystem, with proper licensing and compensation becoming increasingly important as AI technology continues to evolve.