Taboola unveils DeeperDive to help publishers monetise AI search

Taboola has introduced DeeperDive, a generative AI answer engine that operates directly on publisher websites, using their content to provide responses to users' questions.

The company stated that this new tool is designed to support publishers in the face of increasing challenges presented by generative AI-powered search engines, which often utilise publisher content without permission and with minimal compensation.

DeeperDive is being rolled out with Gannett's USA TODAY Network in the United States and The Independent in the United Kingdom, following collaborations with these publishers as design partners. The technology is positioned as a means for publishers to retain direct engagement with their audiences, using their proprietary content and trusted journalistic sources.

AI integration

Taboola has built DeeperDive to provide users with instant answers derived from a publisher's repository of stories and articles, drawing on work produced by reporters and editors currently active on the open web. The system is supported by Taboola's network insights from over 600 million daily active users worldwide, aggregated from a network of 9,000 publisher partners.

Unlike AI answer engines built purely on static training data, DeeperDive leverages real-time content consumption data, which Taboola refers to as the "pulse of the internet." This approach allows the engine to offer relevant, trending information and suggest additional context or stories, aiming to extend the user's engagement with the publisher's content.

Publishers are able to utilise DeeperDive's AI-powered user interface to meet the expectations of contemporary digital audiences, who are increasingly accustomed to conversational, search-like experiences. The technology seeks to reinforce publisher brands and facilitate deeper interaction with their content.

Monetisation opportunities

The deployment of DeeperDive is also intended to create a new revenue stream for publishers through the placement of contextually relevant, high-intent advertisements within the AI-generated answers. Taboola stated that this allows publishers to obtain a share of search-related advertising revenue within their own sites while maintaining the user experience.

"Taboola's DeeperDive is an exciting win for our audience and the publishing industry at large. We're thrilled to be the first to roll out this technology in the U.S. within USA TODAY. Taboola is a longtime partner that has shown an unwavering commitment to helping us accelerate audience development and unlocking growth. With DeeperDive, we see an opportunity to give our readers an innovative new way to explore our trusted content on our properties. DeeperDive combines the high-caliber reporting that the USA TODAY Network is known for with the AI technology and expertise that only Taboola can deliver," said Michael Reed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gannett | USA TODAY Network.

Christian Broughton, Chief Executive Officer at The Independent and Independent Media, also commented on the collaboration and expected benefits of the technology for engaging their readership:

"Taboola continues to be a key partner for our growth," said Broughton. "The Independent is innovating and investing in AI across our business, and recently launched Bulletin, a new service dedicated to serving busy readers who want truly independent, trustworthy news. We are delighted to be design partners on DeeperDive, which we will be using across The Independent and Bulletin. It has the potential to amplify the agenda-setting journalism we produce, build deeper engagement, and allow us to build even deeper relationships with our audience."

Industry commentary

Adam Singolda, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Taboola, presented the company's perspective on the wider impact of DeeperDive:

"Today marks a major step forward for the open web. With DeeperDive, we're giving publishers the power to join the GenAI revolution on their own terms - creating richer, more trusted experiences for users and unlocking search-like monetization opportunities that were previously out of reach. Over time, this means enabling publishers to own high-intent moments with AI agents across categories like travel, finance, sports, and commerce where users make meaningful decisions on platforms they already trust. It's the shift from 50 cents per click to $500 per conversion, right on the publisher's site. This is a big day not just for Taboola, but for the entire industry - and I believe it will change how billions of people discover and decide online."

Singolda further emphasised the importance of fair value exchange between publishers and AI platforms:

"The open web thrives when innovation and fairness go hand in hand. It's simply not sustainable for GenAI engines to rely on publisher content while sending little traffic and compensating only a select few. That's not innovation, it's exploitation. Today is a moment for unity and clarity: publishers deserve real value in return for their work. It's time to build a future where AI helps drive the open web, not drain it - by generating meaningful traffic, sharing value, and respecting the creators who make the internet worth exploring," continued Singolda.

Taboola maintains the goal of supporting publishers in meeting the demands of digital audiences while creating new avenues for traffic engagement and revenue.