Between resistance and negotiation. Intellectual property as a survival strategy for media facing AI and digital platforms

Abstract

Introduction. Generative AI has intensified tensions between news organisations and technology platforms over intellectual property, audience traffic and journalism’s economic sustainability. The report examines how leading Spanish digital media have framed AI since ChatGPT’s emergence, while considering the subsequent disruption caused by Google AI Overviews and AI Mode.Methods. The study combines quantitative content analysis with legal and industry analysis. It examines 242 AI-related articles published between January 2022 and December 2024 by leading Spanish digital-native and legacy outlets, selected according to GfK DAM audience data. Frequency distributions and contingency tables assess thematic frames and editorial positions.Results. Intellectual property emerges as the central underlying conflict. Coverage concentrates on authorship (68%), ethics and legal liability (45%), business models and licensing (32%), and employment (21%). Legacy media generally frame AI as a threat to journalistic assets, whereas digital-native outlets emphasise efficiency and commercial opportunities. Civil society and journalists themselves remain marginal in the debate. Google’s AI-generated summaries further intensify concerns by retaining users within the platform and reducing referral traffic.Discussion. Intellectual property is becoming both a defensive right and a bargaining asset. The sector is consequently shifting from litigation towards licensing, collective negotiation and technological adaptation, although confidential agreements may strengthen major publishers while marginalising smaller outlets.