Josh Freeman

An accomplished leader of both start-ups and digital media organizations, Josh currently is developing multi-media strategies for AAAS

[Bill Gross @Bill_Gross]

What was I thinking?

30 years ago this week I started a “1-year experiment” to build a startup factory based loosely on Thomas Edison’s laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

It was early 1996 and the Internet was growing like crazy after the Netscape IPO, with a whopping 30 million global users (which seems hysterically tiny now). But I felt that this was a disruptive event that with the potential for many new businesses. I wanted to make a lab where I could take my favorite 12 ideas, try one a month for a year, and see if we could make a go of dreaming up, starting, and growing companies.

After a year, 5 of those 12 had failed, 7 were able to get additional funding beyond the seed capital we provided, and eventually 5 of our earliest companies went public. We learned so many lessons living through the dot com boom and crash, the 2007 boom and 2008 crash, more recently the Cleantech boom and crash, and now the Ai boom. With a great deal of good timing, good luck and an amazing team of people I worked with over the years, we were able to start more than 150 companies in the last 30 years.

I believe that entrepreneurship unlocks human potential and provides so much personal growth. I love helping other entrepreneurs be successful, and hope to give back as much as I can from the joys and challenges of the last 30 years of Idealab (here is a link to my top lessons learned:
https://t.co/YGXdnfbbdn).

I am so grateful for the tens of thousands of people who came into our orbit to help make the dreams of each of our companies come true.

Thank you so much, and Happy Birthday, Idealab!
Sincerely, Bill

[Josh Freeman @JoshuaFreeman3]

Слава Україні! To all my Ukrainian friends, I am sorry that I personally and we as a country have not done more to support you in your ongoing fight for national survival and dignity.

[nxthompson @nxthompson]

The Internet is breaking because AI companies are not compensating the creators whose content they've scraped and whose traffic they're absorbing. @Bill_Gross wants to fix this.

An important story about @Prorata_ai. https://t.co/zJdtzTlfQz

[Josh Freeman @JoshuaFreeman3]

Proud to be part of a company working to ensure content creators are fairly credited and compensated in the era of GenAI. Great companies find great partners

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

https://t.co/9xySVCSk8b now backed by 500+ licensed publications, including new partners @FastCompany, @BostonGlobe, New York Magazine, @Frommers, @readersdigest, @thenation, @Newsday, @TheNewRepublic, The Philadelphia Inquier, Tom’s Guide, Who What Wear, @homesandgardens, and many more.

We've built one of the largest licensed content libraries in generative AI search. This is a huge win for fair credit and compensation ​for content owners in the emerging world of zero click search.
https://t.co/iTDSeKfkDy
#AISearch #GenerativeAI

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

Our CEO, @Bill_Gross, has been named to the 2025 AI Trailblazers Power 100, presented by @Adweek and AI Trailblazers. This prestigious honor recognizes Bill's pioneering vision and leadership in the AI space, while also affirming ProRata's mission to champion fair compensation for creators in today's rapidly evolving AI landscape.
We're incredibly proud of Bill and deeply grateful to our partners and the content creators who fuel our passion and purpose. This achievement truly belongs to our entire community, as we work together to build a more equitable future where innovation and fair compensation go hand in hand in the age of artificial intelligence.
https://t.co/1LhfnNI9aY

[Josh Freeman @JoshuaFreeman3]

Proud to be working with @newsalliance to ensure fair credit and compensation in the era of GenAI.

[News/Media Alliance @newsalliance]

Today, the News/Media Alliance announced the launch of an AI licensing framework agreement with ProRata AI, who is working to ensure publishers and creators are fairly credited and compensated by generative AI.

Learn More: https://t.co/OnXFYtYKsy

[News/Media Alliance @newsalliance]

Today, the News/Media Alliance announced the launch of an AI licensing framework agreement with ProRata AI, who is working to ensure publishers and creators are fairly credited and compensated by generative AI.

Learn More: https://t.co/OnXFYtYKsy

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the @newsalliance to bring fair, transparent, and scalable AI licensing solutions to news publishers.

Our CEO and Founder, @Bill_Gross has emphasized the critical need for fair compensation in the evolving AI landscape by saying “creators are the backbone of the knowledge economy, especially journalists and specialty publishers, and they deserve fair recognition and compensation for their contributions.”

As AI continues to reshape the media landscape, it’s critical that publishers and content creators are fairly compensated for their high-quality journalism. Through this collaboration, we’re making it easier for news organizations to manage licensing, protect their content, and unlock new revenue opportunities in the AI era.

Our team is incredibly excited about the potential of this partnership. We’re not just developing technology – we're reshaping how media organizations can leverage AI responsibly and innovatively. This is a huge step toward a sustainable future for journalism—and we’re just getting started!
https://t.co/uC7IrmJcdE

[Revolution @revolution]

No keywords, no cookies—just smarter ad creation and placement.

As @Bill_Gross told @Adweek, @Prorata_ai Ads puts prompts at the center of campaigns—a winning formula for relevance and a “win-win-win” for readers, publishers, and brands. ✔️ https://t.co/ZYIoZRivU8

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

Try https://t.co/uwmE4brG4Z!

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

We value our partners and appreciate your support @jsibo @TIME @markdhoward.

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

The keyword is dead. Long live the prompt.
Today we launched ProRata Ads, ushering in the age of prompt-driven advertising. This revolutionary AI-powered ad platform injects hyper-relevant ads directly into AI search results and digital media content.
Read our announcement: https://t.co/MiSQFkPEiS

#AIPaidSearch #ProRataAds #gistai #FutureofSearch #AIAdvertising #DigitalAdvertising

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

“This is the future of advertising.” – @Bill_Gross
ProRata Ads launched today, revolutionizing digital advertising across the web with hyper-contextual ads driven by the power of the prompt.
@trishlaostwal writes in @Adweek on how we’re transforming ad placement for the AI era.
https://t.co/TmAlsp0X6m

#AdTech #DigitalAdvertising #ProRataAds #FutureofAds

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

Our CEO, @Bill_Gross breaks down how AI shifts value away from creators. Watch the full interview with @inafried of @axios here https://t.co/ZDUH68VxRt
#GenerativeAI #AIRevenueSharing #FutureofSearch

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

At ProRata, we believe that human creativity deserves fair credit and compensation, especially as AI continues to transform our digital landscape. A recent @Forbes article by @johnkwerner explores this crucial intersection of human IP and artificial intelligence.
In a recent interview at Davos, our founder, @Bill_Gross, emphasized the urgency of this mission, stating, "The AI revolution is unstoppable... but it's stealing content from human creativity." He advocates for a model where AI platforms share revenue with human creators, aiming for a 50% revenue share to sustain genuine creativity.
https://t.co/ziQ1isFTJN

#GenerativeAI #ContentsCreators #AIRevenueSharing #AITech #AISearch #FutureofSearch #CreatorEconomy

[journalist.net | The News Professionals @paydesk]

#FutureOfNews: @Prorata_ai scans AI outputs to reward original reporting, giving outlets like #TheGuardian 50% of revenue when their work fuels AI.

Backed by Axel Springer, it’s a game-changer for #newsroom funding in the AI era.

Read more: https://t.co/L3r9O4YhHN
#Paydesk

[Josh Freeman @JoshuaFreeman3]

@MeaganPhelan Amazing

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

We're proud to partner with visionaries who share our mission. Sir Lucian Grainge 2025 memo to @UMG staff discussed the importance of being the leaders in their embracement and advancement of “Responsible AI,” highlighting their partnerships with ProRata as well as with Soundlabs , and KLAY.
#AITech
https://t.co/mOmEZeygI8

[ProRata.ai @Prorata_ai]

Who Pays for AI? The Media's Fight for Fair Compensation. Our Chief Business Officer, @annelies34, joined @petepachal of @themediacopilot to discuss the evolving impact of #AIsearch on the media industry. They explore how our attribution technology is ensuring that content creators receive the credit and compensation they deserve in the age of AI.

https://t.co/pp5hw7cHGB

Want to learn more about our mission? Visit https://t.co/ENdAsIsZFS

#GenerativeAI #ContentsCreators #ContentOwnership #AIRevenueSharing #FutureofSearch #CreatorEconomy

[Josh Freeman @JoshuaFreeman3]

YouTube is hugely profitable while sharing revenue with creators. Spotify is profitable while sharing revenue. Why can’t the GenAI companies share? Because they don’t wanna.

[Bill Gross @Bill_Gross]

And today, YouTube on its own is probably worth north of $500 BILLION (1/2 a trillion dollars) and has more than double the value of Netflix (and many more hours viewed daily) too..

I believe it's all because YouTube shares revenue, empowering creators and unleashing creativity!