New York, Feb 10, 2026, 08:02 EST — Premarket
- Amazon shares slipped in premarket trading following a report that AWS is working on a marketplace for publishers to license content to AI companies.
- Publishers are pushing for more transparent fees and rules on how AI uses their online content as the idea gains traction.
- Amazon’s bigger bet on AI infrastructure is under the microscope, with investors still sizing up what they’re actually getting for the extra spend.
Amazon.com slipped 0.8% before the bell Tuesday, trading at $208.72. The move followed a report that the company is setting up a marketplace for publishers to offer content to businesses working on artificial intelligence products.
Timing is key here. AI models pull answers and content from huge troves of text and media. Publishers, for their part, have been calling for stricter terms and payment tied directly to how often their work gets used.
The battle is now directly shaping costs for both AI developers and cloud platforms. Standardized licensing, if it happens, might ease the current logjam—or simply highlight just how pricey it is to secure “clean” content.
Amazon has floated the idea to publishing execs, according to The Information, and AWS shared slides before its Tuesday conference mentioning a content marketplace along with Bedrock and Quick Suite. The company told reporters it had “nothing specific to share,” reiterating its established ties with publishers. Microsoft, for its part, announced last week it’s developing a Publisher Content Marketplace—a licensing hub that lays out publishers’ terms for use. 1
Amazon’s infrastructure push is still in focus thanks to a fresh cloud supply agreement. STMicroelectronics has ramped up a long-term, multi-billion dollar deal with AWS, granting the tech giant warrants for as many as 24.8 million ordinary shares. Those warrants can be exercised within seven years at $28.38. “This strategic engagement establishes ST as an important supplier to AWS,” CEO Jean-Marc Chery said. 2
Amazon shares have reacted sharply to any developments tied to AI costs. Back on Feb. 5, the company laid out a $200 billion capital spending plan for 2026, a sizable jump from $131 billion planned in 2025. The move sparked investor concerns over how quickly AI-driven data centers and chips might deliver returns. “Amazon has to invest at these levels just to stay in the race,” D.A. Davidson’s Gil Luria said at the time. 3
Tuesday’s report won’t deliver numbers—this one’s all about structure. Investors will be watching for any clues: who shoulders the costs, which deals get licenses, and whether publishers actually adopt a marketplace model as their go-to, or see it as just another place to haggle.
The risk here is hard to miss. Publishers could demand hefty fees or clamp down on usage, and AI companies aren’t likely to accept deals that hurt their unit economics. Legal and regulatory scrutiny over copyrighted content? That landscape could change fast, upending any framework that gets put in place.
Investors are eyeing Amazon at the AWS event, looking for specifics—will there be a clear timeline or product reveal for the marketplace concept? Another thing on the radar: if the company starts tying licensing more closely to its AI offerings and cloud deals.
Looking past individual stock moves, investors are eyeing the next round of macro data. The U.S. Employment Situation report lands Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Then, on Friday, Feb. 13, January’s Consumer Price Index hits at the same time. Both releases have the power to jolt bond yields and send ripples through rate-sensitive megacap tech stocks. 4
