Michael Ellis is Newstex’s content syndication expert. He helps authoritative publishers to develop their brand within digital libraries that serve professional researchers around the world.
Why human curation still matters in content licensing
On AI-generated content, transparency, and what automation cannot replace
Robots.txt won't save you: The case for licensed AI content
The scraper economy has historically treated publisher content as something to be strip mined but licensing offers a model that benefits both developers and publishers.
How copyright organizations help smaller publishers participate in AI content licensing
Making AI licensing work for publishers of all sizes
The CJL's new report on AI content licensing reveals a market already consolidating around a handful of major deals and what independent publishers must demand before the window to reshape it closes.
How content licensing solves AI's source quality crisis
A case of mistaken heraldic identity illustrates why AI systems that rely on scraped, unstructured web content routinely produce confident but inaccurate answers and why licensed publisher content is the path to trustworthy AI responses.
What the White House AI content licensing plan means for creators
The Trump administration's National Policy Framework for AI envisions collective licensing for creators and federal preemption of state AI laws, but its lack of enforcement mechanisms and reluctance to mandate participation could leave both creators and the public without meaningful protections.
From open web to AI platforms: How independent publishers can participate
A significant voice gap exists in professional information environments: while major publishers have established relationships with AI platforms and research libraries, independent creators producing quality content often don't know how to access these opportunities. Newstex solves this problem by operating as a connector in the content marketplace, taking open web content and placing it in curated research environments. The company offers flexible participation levels and works to secure both compensation and valuable usage data for publishers.
Trust, capability, reward: A framework for fair AI content licensing
The future of AI licensing depends on three essential pillars working interdependently. Trust must overcome deficits from past unauthorized content usage through transparent platform commitments. Publishers need technical capability producing machine-readable content with metadata while platforms learn editorial processes and content economics. Fair reward distribution should reflect contribution levels, making capability investments crucial for compensation outcomes. Without trust, publishers won't invest in capabilities. Without capability, fair reward arguments weaken. Together, these pillars create sustainable ecosystems where both sides develop necessary competencies.
The AI paradox: Why automation demands more human connection
The rise of AI creates a paradox: the more we automate content delivery, the more human connection we need. Publishers and tech companies are now interdependent in ways that require ongoing dialogue about purpose, format, and usage. Building trust and facilitating communication isn't optional—it's what makes AI content licensing work.
The conversation the publishing industry needs to have about AI content licensing
Newstex President, Michael Ellis, shares what's at stake as he prepares to join an expert panel at the Frankfurt Book Fair
