Between Resistance and Negotiation. Intellectual Property as a Survival Strategy for Media Facing AI and Digital Platforms.

Abstract

[Abstract]: The rise of generative artificial intelligence has intensified the tensions —and, paradoxically, the agreements— between media companies and conglomerates, and major technology platforms, particularly around intellectual property and the economic sustainability of journalism. This study analyzes the news coverage and discursive positioning of Spanish digital media regarding the impact of AI systems on the production, distribution, and monetization of journalistic content, with particular attention to the emergence of a disruptive element: Google AI Overviews. The results reveal a strong centrality of legal and economic discourses, alongside a limited presence of civil society and of the journalistic profession itself (i.e., media workers) in the public debate. Several editorial strategies in response to AI are also identified, ranging from litigation and negotiation to technological adaptation. The study concludes that intellectual property has become a strategic axis for the survival of digital journalism.