Taboola, a known provider of eye-catching, often sensational advertisements seen beneath online articles, is set to unveil a new AI chatbot named “DeeperDive.” This tool will enter beta testing across platforms such as USA Today and The Independent, designed to respond to reader inquiries by utilizing information sourced from reputable journalists.
Users can see a demonstration of DeeperDive on Taboola’s website, where a search bar prominently displayed at the top of USA Today‘s homepage generates prompts such as “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?”
In addition to delivering AI-generated answers, the chatbot also showcases related articles from USA Today and includes a promotional link. Taboola emphasizes that DeepDive enables publishers to place “contextually relevant, high-intent ads directly into the AI-powered results page.” Furthermore, users have the capability to highlight text from articles and pose questions about that specific content using DeepDive.
Initially, the AI chatbot will be available to only one percent of USA Today’s reader base to evaluate its performance and quality. Information regarding its availability to readers of The Independent was not readily provided by Taboola when contacted by Technology News.
This initiative is not Gannett’s first encounter with AI technology. In 2023, the publisher halted its AI-generated sports coverage after facing criticism from both reporters and the audience. Additionally, AI-generated articles were briefly incorporated into its Reviewed platform, which has since been discontinued but has recently resurfaced under new ownership. Furthermore, last year USA Today initiated trials of AI-generated summaries featured at the beginning of articles.
