Brad Smith Vice Chair and President at Microsoft | Official website
Axel Springer SE and Microsoft Corp. have come together in an expanded partnership that encompasses advertising, AI, content, and cloud computing. This collaboration is set to bring cutting-edge innovation to the world of independent journalism. Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer, emphasized the importance of partnerships in the age of AI, stating, “In this new era of AI, partnerships are critical to preserving and promoting independent journalism while ensuring a thriving media landscape.”
Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft, highlighted the transformative power of AI in various aspects of life, including content consumption. He expressed optimism about the partnership, saying, “Our expanded partnership with Axel Springer brings together their leadership in digital publishing with the full power of the Microsoft Cloud — including our ad solutions — to build innovative AI-driven experiences and create new opportunity for advertisers and users.”
The partnership between Axel Springer and Microsoft will see several key elements come into play. These include extending adtech collaboration to the U.S., with Axel Springer adopting Microsoft Advertising as its ad server solution and POLITICO integrating Microsoft Advertising technology to reach a broader audience.
Additionally, Axel Springer will partner with Microsoft to develop new AI-driven chat experiences to enhance user engagement with journalistic content. The cooperation will also see Axel Springer leveraging Microsoft Advertising’s Chat Ads API for generative AI monetization.
Furthermore, Axel Springer is expanding its Microsoft Start-MSN partnership to offer users access to more premium content from journalistic brands such as Business Insider, POLITICO, BILD, and WELT across various devices and markets.
In a move to enhance scalability and performance, Axel Springer will migrate its SAP solutions to Microsoft Azure, leveraging the platform's AI capabilities for innovation.
This collaboration between Axel Springer and Microsoft aims to leverage technology and innovation to support independent journalism and create new opportunities for advertisers and users.