People Inc. CEO on AI-hungry Google: 'They don't share anything with us'

People Inc. CEO Neil Vogel voiced concerns regarding Google's evolving AI strategy, arguing that the search giant continues to utilize publisher content for AI training and summaries without sharing adequate traffic or economic value. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Tech Conference, Vogel noted that the historical unwritten agreement of trading content for search traffic has broken down as Google shifts toward an AI-driven search experience. While People Inc. has established licensing agreements with competitors including Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI, negotiations with Google have yet to show progress. Despite the broader industry disruption and referral traffic headwinds caused by AI Overviews, People Inc. reported its 11th consecutive quarter of digital revenue growth, alongside a 15% year-over-year increase in Q2 adjusted operating profit. The company is simultaneously navigating major corporate moves, including an $18 billion proposal to acquire the remaining shares of MGM Resorts International. The ongoing tension underscores broader industry pressure on mega-cap tech firms to formalize AI compensation models for digital content creators.