Illustration: Brendan Lynch/AxiosGenerative AI startup ProRata.ai has raised $40 million in Series B funding as it prepares to launch a new product for publishers, CEO Bill Gross exclusively tells Axios.Why it matters: The funding supports a new AI business model where publishers are compensated by AI companies using their work. Follow the money: Gross says the startup wasn't in need of capital — still having $20 million from its past funding round — but received interest from Touring Capital, w...