MediaGene Inc. Further Enhances Advertising Value as a Media Company with "True Influence" Due to Surge in AI Access
Key facts
- MediaGene Inc. Further Enhances Advertising Value as a Media Company with "True Influence" Due to Surge in AI Access
- MediaGene Inc., a group company of TNL Media Group (NASDAQ: TNMG), announced a significant surge in AI access demand for its major digital media outlets, including Business Insider Japan and Lifehacker Japan, based on the latest data from the AI data licensing platform "TollBit" (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026). This indicates a shift in user information retrieval behavior towards AI, increasing the influence and advertising value of their media portfolio.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 11, 2026
Direct answer
MediaGene Inc., a group company of TNL Media Group (NASDAQ: TNMG), announced a significant surge in AI access demand for its major digital media outlets, including Business Insider Japan and Lifehacker Japan, based on the latest data from the AI data licensing platform "TollBit" (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026). This indicates a shift in user information retrieval behavior towards AI, increasing the influence and advertising value of their media portfolio.
- Citation
- MediaGene Inc. Further Enhances Advertising Value as a Media Company with "True Influence" Due to Surge in AI Access (June 11, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 11, 2026
MediaGene Inc., a group company of TNL Media Group (NASDAQ: TNMG), announced a significant surge in AI access demand for its major digital media outlets, including Business Insider Japan and Lifehacker Japan, based on the latest data from the AI data licensing platform "TollBit" (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026). This indicates a shift in user information retrieval behavior towards AI, increasing the influence and advertising value of their media portfolio.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 11, 2026 at 14:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 11, 2026 at 14:27 (27 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 16:51 (26h 24m after Collected)
MediaGene Inc., a group company of TNL Media Group (NASDAQ: TNMG), announces a significant surge in AI access demand for its major digital media outlets (including Business Insider Japan, Lifehacker Japan, Digiday Japan, Lumy, and Shirabee) based on the latest data from the AI data licensing platform "TollBit" (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026). We believe this surge has increased the influence and advertising value of our media portfolio in an era where user information retrieval behavior is increasingly shifting towards AI.
Furthermore, the entire TNL Media Group, including the recipe site iCook operating in Taiwan, has experienced top-tier access demand, ranking among the top approximately 8% of publishers in the Asian region utilizing TollBit.
The Dramatic Shift in Traffic Structure and Web Media Due to the Advent of the "AI Search Era"
With the emergence of generative AI, user information retrieval behavior is changing. The traffic structure of web media, both domestically and internationally, is undergoing a significant transformation with the addition of "AI access" alongside human access. This change in traffic acquisition structure impacts the business models of media companies, indicating that the entire industry is at a major turning point.
We believe that with the advent of this "AI search era," a new standard for media value is being demanded by advertisers and the market. We have been proactively exploring models that coexist with AI.
The Era Where Media is Evaluated by "True Influence = Being Referenced by AI"
Media evaluation criteria are clearly shifting from superficial metrics (PVs) to "true influence" based on information credibility. For generative AI to produce more accurate and high-quality responses, highly credible and unique original content is essential. This is precisely the information users fundamentally seek, thus becoming the "true influence in the AI era."
Amidst this industry-wide change, the primary reason our media outlets continue to attract exceptionally high AI access demand is our unwavering commitment to creating articles that prioritize "information credibility." In the production process managed by our editorial and writing staff, we emphasize the expression of unique human experiences and emotions, and even translated articles undergo a thorough human review. We believe that AI has recognized this content as "valuable and reliable data worth learning from and referencing," leading to our overwhelming performance on TollBit.
Remarkable Growth Data from Major Domestic Media Outlets
Our major media outlets are experiencing a surge in AI access demand across various categories, showing robust growth.
Shirabee (Entertainment Category): Explosive growth of 103.8% compared to the previous period. Ranked in the top 4.9% within its category and top 10.1% in Asia.
Business Insider Japan (News Category): Increased by 4.4% compared to the previous period, ranking in the top 11.6% in Asia.
Lifehacker Japan (Lifestyle Category): Recorded a 11.4% increase compared to the previous period.
Lumy (Lifestyle Category): Achieved stable growth with a 19.2% increase compared to the previous period.
Digiday Japan (Business & Finance Category): Showed significant growth with a 43.8% increase compared to the previous period.
Top-Class Access Demand Observed within the Group in the Asian Region
Furthermore, within the media portfolio owned by our group, we have secured an extremely high position, ranking among the top approximately 8% of Asian publishers utilizing TollBit.
Notably, the AI content access demand for our group's lifestyle category as a whole, driven by the growth of the recipe site iCook, recorded explosive growth, exceeding the growth pace of other publishers by approximately tenfold. This data objectively demonstrates that our media portfolio is recognized as an extremely valuable information source even in the AI era.
Comment from Motoko Imada, Representative Director, CEO of MediaGene Inc.
"User information retrieval behavior is undergoing drastic changes, forcing many media outlets to transform. However, MediaGene has not only cultivated text media but also strongly promoted video production, synchronizing with changes in user behavior. As we enter the full-fledged AI search era, we will continue to evolve. By reliably anticipating traffic from both 'humans' and 'AI,' our hybrid approach to audience acquisition and content credibility, being chosen as a 'correct information source,' provides a robust foundation unaffected by platform fluctuations. This offers a highly valuable, safe, and truly influential media environment not only for our users but also for our advertisers."
We will continue to deliver high-quality content with reliable information, pursuing new values and possibilities for media in the AI era to be utilized by users and advertisers alike.
* The data in this release is based on data obtained from the AI data licensing platform TollBit (measuring AI access numbers and demand) and is not a combined comparison with other AI or platforms. The measurement period is Q4 2025 to Q1 2026.
About TollBit
TollBit provides a means for AI agents and bots to pay websites directly, easily, and in a compliance-friendly manner for content access. By helping websites secure a sustainable revenue stream from AI visitors, it aims to adapt to the changing economic structure of the AI internet. For the latest information on the new web powered by AI, please visit TollBit's LinkedIn.
About MediaGene Inc.
MediaGene Inc. operates 17 media outlets targeting specific communities, including the economic media "Business Insider Japan" for millennials, the technology and product information media "Gizmodo Japan," the lifestyle media "Lumy," and "Lifehacker Japan," which proposes efficient work styles. We also operate four commerce services, including the pre-purchase EC site "Costly" and "Gizmart." Through a total of 21 brands, we provide information and experiences that enrich readers' lives.
https://www.mediagene.co.jp/
[Inquiries regarding this matter]
MediaGene Inc.
https://www.mediagene.co.jp/contact
Furthermore, the entire TNL Media Group, including the recipe site iCook operating in Taiwan, has experienced top-tier access demand, ranking among the top approximately 8% of publishers in the Asian region utilizing TollBit.
The Dramatic Shift in Traffic Structure and Web Media Due to the Advent of the "AI Search Era"
With the emergence of generative AI, user information retrieval behavior is changing. The traffic structure of web media, both domestically and internationally, is undergoing a significant transformation with the addition of "AI access" alongside human access. This change in traffic acquisition structure impacts the business models of media companies, indicating that the entire industry is at a major turning point.
We believe that with the advent of this "AI search era," a new standard for media value is being demanded by advertisers and the market. We have been proactively exploring models that coexist with AI.
The Era Where Media is Evaluated by "True Influence = Being Referenced by AI"
Media evaluation criteria are clearly shifting from superficial metrics (PVs) to "true influence" based on information credibility. For generative AI to produce more accurate and high-quality responses, highly credible and unique original content is essential. This is precisely the information users fundamentally seek, thus becoming the "true influence in the AI era."
Amidst this industry-wide change, the primary reason our media outlets continue to attract exceptionally high AI access demand is our unwavering commitment to creating articles that prioritize "information credibility." In the production process managed by our editorial and writing staff, we emphasize the expression of unique human experiences and emotions, and even translated articles undergo a thorough human review. We believe that AI has recognized this content as "valuable and reliable data worth learning from and referencing," leading to our overwhelming performance on TollBit.
Remarkable Growth Data from Major Domestic Media Outlets
Our major media outlets are experiencing a surge in AI access demand across various categories, showing robust growth.
Shirabee (Entertainment Category): Explosive growth of 103.8% compared to the previous period. Ranked in the top 4.9% within its category and top 10.1% in Asia.
Business Insider Japan (News Category): Increased by 4.4% compared to the previous period, ranking in the top 11.6% in Asia.
Lifehacker Japan (Lifestyle Category): Recorded a 11.4% increase compared to the previous period.
Lumy (Lifestyle Category): Achieved stable growth with a 19.2% increase compared to the previous period.
Digiday Japan (Business & Finance Category): Showed significant growth with a 43.8% increase compared to the previous period.
Top-Class Access Demand Observed within the Group in the Asian Region
Furthermore, within the media portfolio owned by our group, we have secured an extremely high position, ranking among the top approximately 8% of Asian publishers utilizing TollBit.
Notably, the AI content access demand for our group's lifestyle category as a whole, driven by the growth of the recipe site iCook, recorded explosive growth, exceeding the growth pace of other publishers by approximately tenfold. This data objectively demonstrates that our media portfolio is recognized as an extremely valuable information source even in the AI era.
Comment from Motoko Imada, Representative Director, CEO of MediaGene Inc.
"User information retrieval behavior is undergoing drastic changes, forcing many media outlets to transform. However, MediaGene has not only cultivated text media but also strongly promoted video production, synchronizing with changes in user behavior. As we enter the full-fledged AI search era, we will continue to evolve. By reliably anticipating traffic from both 'humans' and 'AI,' our hybrid approach to audience acquisition and content credibility, being chosen as a 'correct information source,' provides a robust foundation unaffected by platform fluctuations. This offers a highly valuable, safe, and truly influential media environment not only for our users but also for our advertisers."
We will continue to deliver high-quality content with reliable information, pursuing new values and possibilities for media in the AI era to be utilized by users and advertisers alike.
* The data in this release is based on data obtained from the AI data licensing platform TollBit (measuring AI access numbers and demand) and is not a combined comparison with other AI or platforms. The measurement period is Q4 2025 to Q1 2026.
About TollBit
TollBit provides a means for AI agents and bots to pay websites directly, easily, and in a compliance-friendly manner for content access. By helping websites secure a sustainable revenue stream from AI visitors, it aims to adapt to the changing economic structure of the AI internet. For the latest information on the new web powered by AI, please visit TollBit's LinkedIn.
About MediaGene Inc.
MediaGene Inc. operates 17 media outlets targeting specific communities, including the economic media "Business Insider Japan" for millennials, the technology and product information media "Gizmodo Japan," the lifestyle media "Lumy," and "Lifehacker Japan," which proposes efficient work styles. We also operate four commerce services, including the pre-purchase EC site "Costly" and "Gizmart." Through a total of 21 brands, we provide information and experiences that enrich readers' lives.
https://www.mediagene.co.jp/
[Inquiries regarding this matter]
MediaGene Inc.
https://www.mediagene.co.jp/contact
FAQ
What does AI evaluate in media content?
AI evaluates content based on information credibility, uniqueness, and accuracy. High-quality original content valuable for AI learning and referencing is prioritized over superficial PV counts.
How does increased AI access affect a media outlet's advertising value?
Increased AI access indicates the media outlet is a reliable information source for AI, leading to higher advertising value as it's recognized for possessing "true influence."
How is MediaGene adapting to the AI era?
By thoroughly emphasizing information credibility in article creation and providing content valuable to AI, MediaGene is responding to the surge in AI access demand and aiming to increase advertising value.
What specifically is the "AI search era"?
It's an era where generative AI's proliferation shifts information retrieval methods to AI-driven channels, significantly altering web media traffic structures with the addition of AI access.
What is required of media in the AI era?
Media must provide highly credible and unique original content, essential for AI to generate accurate responses. This constitutes "true influence in the AI era."