Amazon is hammering out deals with news publishers ahead of its AI-enhanced Alexa upgrade

Core Insights - Amazon is expected to launch an AI-enhanced upgrade to its Alexa voice technology, which may increase exposure for publishers [1][7] - The company is negotiating licensing deals with various publishers to feature their content on Alexa [2][6] - Publishers are optimistic about the upgrade, hoping it will improve user engagement compared to previous experiences with Alexa [4][5] Licensing and Partnerships - Amazon is working on licensing agreements with publishers to allow their news and information to be accessed via Alexa [2][3] - The company has also engaged in discussions with other firms like Uber, Instacart, and Ticketmaster regarding the new feature [2] Publisher Perspectives - Publishers view the Alexa upgrade as a potential opportunity for increased visibility, especially as traffic from platforms like Facebook and Google has decreased [5][6] - Although Amazon is compensating publishers for featuring their content, the primary benefit is seen as enhanced exposure within Amazon's ecosystem [6] Market Context - Alexa is installed on over 100 million devices, providing a significant audience for publishers [5] - The AI deals are seen as a way for publishers to mitigate declines in audience and advertising revenue [6]