In today’s Digest, we cover Google striking an AI news deal with AAP and the PPA calling for CMA oversight of Google AI search. We also discuss the UK dropping its bid for Apple user data as well as ChatGPT’s Go Plan debuting in India.

Google strikes AI news deal with Australian Associated Press; UK Professional Publishers Association seeks CMA oversight

The Australian Associated Press (AAP) has signed a multi-year agreement with Google, marking the tech company’s first AI-driven news partnership in Australia. Under the deal, the AAP’s reporting will be used to strengthen responses in Google’s Gemini app. 

The AAP said its “90-year history of providing primary-source journalism” and “strong reputation for objectivity” make its reporting a valuable addition to Google’s AI tools. It has already been partnering with Google for digital innovation and the training of journalists. 

Meanwhile, the UK’s Professional Publishers Association has urged the Competition and Markets Authority to impose conduct rules on Google and other AI search platforms. The group said a lack of transparency over how AI systems index and display information is harming publishers and marketers, who cannot see how their content appears in AI search features.

In a letter, the PPA warned that publishers are forced to make investment and product decisions without knowing if their content drives traffic, is consumed entirely within AI summaries, or is used to power rival services. “The lack of visibility over AI Overviews and AI Mode performance has direct business impacts,” the PPA said. It added that there is no option for publishers to opt out of Google’s AI crawling without blocking search indexing altogether.

UK drops bid for Apple user data

The UK has agreed to withdraw a demand that Apple create a back door to encrypted iCloud data after pressure from Washington, according to US officials. Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, told the Financial Times that Britain had “agreed to drop” its order requiring Apple to unlock encrypted data of US citizens. 

A US official said Vance had negotiated “a mutually beneficial understanding that the UK government will withdraw the current back-door order to Apple.”

ChatGPT Go plan debuts in India

OpenAI has introduced a new low-cost subscription tier in India, offering broader access to its AI services in one of the world’s largest online markets. The ChatGPT Go plan, priced at 399 rupees (£3.59) per month, includes higher limits on file uploads, longer memory for personalised responses, and expanded image generation. The free version of ChatGPT will remain available.

The company said the new plan is aimed at giving Indian users more frequent and capable interactions without the higher costs of premium services. Other upgrades in the ChatGPT Go plan include higher limits on file uploads, extended memory for more personalised responses, and access to more detailed analytics.