Don’t call it a chumbox, damnit. It’s an ad unit that captures data on in-market consumers—or at least that’s how Taboola is, and should be, selling its new product.
Today, the company announced a generative AI search tool built using content from the publisher whose site it appears on. Think of the Google Search bar you often see on publisher sites—used to show open web results or surface articles from the publisher’s own archive. Taboola is now entering that space with DeeperDive, a new tool launching on USA Today and The Independent. Initially, it will roll out to just one percent of readers on USA Today’s website first.
Here’s what it looks like in action (PS, we appreciate a good video!):
It essentially looks like a Gen AI search UI where users submit queries and receive responses based on the participating publisher’s content. However, Taboola says it could also broaden the AI-generated answers to include “multifaceted” insights powered by its AI and real-time signals from over 600 million daily active users across a global network of 9,000 publisher partners.
Ultimately, Taboola plans to place contextual ads alongside these AI-driven search results. That’s the plan.
Why This Matters:
This is Taboola taking on Google, isn’t it? Google has long dominated this type of search integration and reaped the ad benefits through its Search Partner network. Taboola is now stepping into that space, and disrupting it.
It’s also a potential threat to Gen AI-native companies like OpenAI and Perplexity, who might have pursued similar deals with publishers but now face new competition. (Though all of these companies have shown varying appetites to having ad businesses.)
Finally, publishers could have tried to build something like this in-house, right? But working with a tech-first partner focused on monetizing publisher content at scale—like Taboola—makes sense. Publishers already work with Taboola, so why not?
Experts React:
Speaking of those AI-native companies, USA Today and Gannett threw some shade at them in their own write-up on USAToday.com about the DeeperDive launch (emphasis is mine):
“In contrast to search engines that utilize content without permission, DeeperDive will tap into USA TODAY’s network of journalists as well as the knowledge of Taboola’s more than 600 million daily active users and 9,000 publisher partners worldwide. DeeperDive’s quality and performance will be monitored by people, not AI.”
Our Take:
Taboola has been working to shed its “chumbox” clickbait reputation and reposition itself as an AI-forward company. This move is another step in that evolution. (Candidly, Taboola has been one of the most committed adtech companies when it comes to showcasing a focus on AI.)
Other random thought: Taboola has a very tight relationship with Gannett, clearly. They also partnered with them on Realize in April.
