If you know you need to learn how to use AI but you're not sure where to get started, then the team at Volaris has you covered. For just $27, you can get their step-by-step course for using AI to replace your day to day.

Click here to check it out now.

_{Read Time: 10 Minutes}

Today’s Menu

• New York Times strikes first AI licensing deal with Amazon

• PSG becomes first professional sports club to adopt Bitcoin treasury strategy

Markets

TODAY IN AI

New York Times strikes first AI licensing deal with Amazon

The New York Times has signed its inaugural AI licensing agreement with Amazon, marking a significant shift for one of journalism's most prominent holdouts against AI content usage. The multi-year deal allows Amazon to incorporate NYT editorial content across its platforms and use it for AI model training, covering articles from the Times, recipes from NYT Cooking, and sports content from The Athletic.

Amazon will integrate this content into products like Alexa smart speakers, with proper attribution and links directing users to the full reader experience on NYT platforms. This partnership represents a strategic revenue stream for the newspaper while providing Amazon with high-quality training data and content for its AI systems.

The timing is particularly notable given the NYT's ongoing lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft over unauthorized use of its content for AI training. By choosing Amazon as its first AI partner rather than these more prominent AI rivals, the Times is making a calculated decision about which technology companies it trusts with its intellectual property.

This partnership signals a broader industry shift among traditional media companies. Even organizations that initially resisted AI integration are now recognizing the financial necessity of licensing agreements as AI companies seek legitimate sources of training data. The alternative—being excluded from AI systems entirely—could mean reduced visibility and relevance in an increasingly AI-mediated information landscape.

The strategic implications extend beyond revenue generation. By partnering with Amazon, the NYT ensures its content remains accessible through emerging AI interfaces while maintaining some control over how that content is presented and attributed. This represents a pragmatic approach to AI adoption that other media companies are likely to emulate.

What this means for journalism: The NYT's decision validates the licensing model as a viable path forward for publishers seeking to monetize their content in the AI era while maintaining editorial integrity and brand control.

TODAY IN CRYPTO

PSG becomes first professional sports club to adopt Bitcoin treasury strategy

Paris Saint-Germain has made sports history by becoming the first professional football club to formally adopt Bitcoin as a treasury asset, announcing the move at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas just days before competing in the Champions League Final.

According to PSG Labs head Pär Helgosson, the club converted part of its fiat reserves into Bitcoin last year and continues to hold the position: "We put Bitcoin in our books. We took our fiat reserves and we actually allocated Bitcoin. We still have it in our books. And as one of the largest clubs in the world, we're the largest player in the sports ecosystem to do that."

This move extends far beyond a simple treasury allocation. PSG is launching a comprehensive Web3 strategy through PSG Labs, offering funding and support to Bitcoin entrepreneurs and startups. The club plans to provide product pilots across its massive digital reach and go-to-market support for ventures focusing on tokenization, DAOs, NFTs, stablecoins, on-chain gaming, and custody solutions.

PSG's crypto involvement isn't entirely new—the club was the first to launch a fan token via Socios, operates a validator on Chiliz, and maintains a multi-year partnership with Crypto.com. However, this Bitcoin treasury adoption represents a fundamental evolution from marketing experiments to genuine financial conviction.

The significance extends beyond sports into broader corporate adoption trends. As one of Europe's most valuable football clubs with over 500 million global fans, PSG's Bitcoin treasury strategy could influence other major sports organizations. The club's "lifestyle brand" positioning makes it particularly influential among younger demographics who are already crypto-native.

The strategic insight: PSG's move demonstrates how forward-thinking organizations are integrating Bitcoin into their core business strategy rather than treating it as a peripheral technology experiment. For other sports organizations and entertainment companies, this sets a precedent for using Bitcoin both as a treasury asset and as a platform for engaging with emerging technologies that appeal to younger audiences.

Want to share The Future of Disruptive Tech with a friend, family member, or coworker? Pass this link along to them.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Damon James