Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) has become the first U.S. publisher to launch DeeperDive, a next-generation AI answer engine powered by Taboola. This strategic deployment on the USA TODAY website aims to deepen reader engagement by providing instant, intelligent responses sourced from the USA TODAY Network’s trusted content.
Unlike traditional generative AI tools, DeeperDive draws from real-time, editorially produced articles to answer reader queries with depth and relevance. It prompts users with suggested questions and delivers answers backed by additional context and related stories—offering a more nuanced and human-centric search experience.
Readers can ask about anything from trending sports updates to political insights or local travel tips. The system responds instantly with content created by professional journalists, all while keeping users within the publisher’s ecosystem.
“This marks a major step forward for both Gannett and the publishing industry,” said Michael Reed, Chairman and CEO of Gannett. “With Taboola’s long-standing support, DeeperDive not only strengthens our audience engagement but opens new monetization opportunities through contextual advertising, subscriptions, and affiliate growth.”
The technology taps into Taboola’s AI engine, fueled by insights from over 600 million daily active users across its network of 9,000 publishers. This allows DeeperDive to identify what readers are engaging with globally and surface answers based on the latest trends.
DeeperDive enhances reader time on site by pairing each answer with links to related articles. Additionally, it introduces a new revenue stream for publishers by displaying high-intent, context-driven ads directly in the AI-generated content—converting user interest into measurable commercial value.
“Today’s launch reshapes how the open web competes in the GenAI era,” said Adam Singolda, CEO and Founder of Taboola. “We’re enabling publishers to stay in control of their content, connect better with audiences, and monetize like never before.”
The beta version of DeeperDive is now live for approximately 1% of USA TODAY’s 195 million monthly readers, with quality assessments being conducted manually.
This rollout positions Gannett at the forefront of AI-powered journalism, using its own trusted content to drive innovation while retaining user trust and control in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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News Source: Businesswire.com
