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

Neil Vogel, CEO of People Inc., expressed frustration with Google's use of their content for AI development without sharing any financial benefits. For years, the two companies had an unwritten agreement where Google could use People's content to build their search product in exchange for sessions. However, as Google shifted towards AI-powered search summaries, they continued to utilize People's content for both real-time and training purposes, yet refused to offer any compensation.

Vogel also mentioned that People has signed content licensing deals with Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI, but would prefer to reach a similar agreement with Google. Despite the decline in traffic due to Google's AI initiatives, People has managed to maintain 11 consecutive quarters of digital revenue growth, with adjusted operating profits increasing by 15% in the second quarter.

In addition to their ongoing dispute with Google, People is actively pursuing an $18 billion acquisition of MGM Resorts International and holds significant stakes in Turo.