Google Agrees to Shell Out $250M to Support Journalism—But Not Everyone Is Thrilled

Google has struck a rare partnership with California to support journalism across the state. The first-in-the-nation agreement, announced yesterday (Aug. 21), will see the Big Tech player invest around $170 million over the next five years to strengthen a struggling local media landscape and aid in experimentation with A.I. However, the seemingly well-intentioned deal met controversy from media industry members.

The deal comes as lawmakers push for Big Tech companies to compensate news organizations.