Clickbait glow up? Taboola launches AI chatbot on top news websites to boost trusted journalism

Taboola has launched DeeperDive, an AI chatbot that will appear on USA Today and The Independent websites to answer reader questions using information from “trusted journalists.” The move represents a significant evolution for the company, which is best known for serving clickbait-style advertisements beneath online articles, as it positions itself in the growing market for AI-powered content engagement tools.

What you should know: DeeperDive integrates directly into publisher websites and allows readers to ask questions about current events and article content.

• A demo shows the search bar appearing at the top of USA Today’s homepage with auto-generated prompts like “How is the UK government addressing the cost of living crisis in 2025?” and “What are the environmental implications of the latest oil drilling projects in the North Sea?”
• Readers can also highlight portions of articles and ask DeeperDive questions about specific content.
• The tool is currently in beta testing with only 1% of USA Today’s audience seeing it while quality is assessed.

How it works: The AI chatbot provides generated responses alongside related articles and sponsored content integration.

• Along with AI-generated answers, DeeperDive displays related articles from the publisher’s content library.
• Taboola says the tool allows publishers to insert “contextually relevant, high-intent ads directly into the AI-powered results page.”
• The system sources information from what Taboola describes as “trusted journalists,” though specific sourcing methodology wasn’t detailed.

Publisher context: USA Today’s parent company Gannett has a mixed track record with AI implementation across its properties.

• In 2023, Gannett paused AI-generated sports coverage following backlash from reporters and readers.
• The company previously added AI-generated articles to its Reviewed site, which was later shut down but has since returned under new ownership.
• USA Today began testing AI-generated article summaries in 2024.

The big picture: This launch signals Taboola’s strategic shift from traditional display advertising toward AI-powered content engagement, potentially creating new revenue streams while addressing publishers’ need for enhanced reader interaction tools in an increasingly competitive digital media landscape.