Exclusive: Time strikes licensing deal with OpenAI

Time magazine has entered into a long-term content licensing agreement and strategic partnership with OpenAI, a significant collaboration that aligns with Time’s broader initiative to broaden the reach of its content to a more diverse and younger audience worldwide.

This move follows Time’s elimination of its digital paywall last year, which aimed to attract a wider audience.

The agreement grants OpenAI access to Time’s extensive archives spanning the past 101 years. This access will be utilized to train OpenAI’s advanced language models, including ChatGPT, for user interactions.

Additionally, OpenAI will leverage Time’s real-time content to enhance responses to user queries as events unfold. OpenAI will attribute Time in its responses and provide links back to the original content on Time.com.

In return, Time will benefit from OpenAI’s technology and tools to innovate new products for its readers. The partnership aims to enhance the utilization and delivery of journalism in OpenAI’s offerings and future AI-driven news experiences through shared feedback and practical applications.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, but previous arrangements by OpenAI with publishers typically include compensation. Mark Howard, Time’s chief operating officer, highlighted that the partnership aligns with their mission to provide credible information globally.

OpenAI’s chief operating officer, Brad Lightcap, emphasized the importance of attributing original sources to support trustworthy journalism.

This collaboration follows similar partnerships between OpenAI and other publishers like the Atlantic, Vox Media, and News Corp., underscoring a trend where news organizations opt for collaborations with OpenAI over legal battles.

Notably, some publishers, including The New York Times and regional newspapers under Alden Global Capital, have taken legal action against OpenAI for copyright infringement, with the disputes ongoing. This trend reflects a broader shift in the industry towards collaboration for mutual benefit.

For further insights, OpenAI has also funded a new journalism ethics initiative, signaling its commitment to ethical journalism practices.

source: https://www.axios.com/2024/06/27/openai-time-licensing-deal-chatgpt