About this Webinar

How news media organisations navigate the collapsing value of AI licensing deals and prepare for the next phase is the focus of this INMA Product & Tech Initiative Webinar featuring Dr. Jonathan Roberts, chief innovation officer of People Inc. in the United States.

After blockbuster agreements in 2024, cash components plunged in 2025, while the launch of Deepseek exposed that even the biggest AI players lack a defensible moat. As thousands of new scrapers drive major publishers to lock down access to their content, the long-imagined information marketplace is finally beginning to take shape in 2026.

In this Webinar, Jonathan will explain why content is becoming the scarcest and most valuable resource in the AI ecosystem, how pricing models are emerging, and why publishers must act now to shape standards, rights, and commercial returns.

You will learn:

• Why RAG — not model training — is becoming the core battleground
• How recent industry moves are creating the first real barriers to AI scraping
• What new revenue models are emerging for publishers (access fees, revenue share, collective rights, training deals, and more)
• The economics behind AI’s demand for premium content — and why it’s more affordable than many assume
• What a functioning content marketplace looks like, and what still needs to be built
• Practical steps publishers can take now to structure, enrich, and protect their content for AI-era distribution

About Jonathan Roberts

Dr. Jonathan Roberts, chief innovation officer of People Inc., is a leading voice at the intersection of AI and media. He advises global publishers and technology platforms on AI strategy, content rights, and the evolving information economy. People Inc. was recently rebranded from what was known as Dotdash Meredith.