OpenAI is in talks with CNN and Fox Corp. And time to license his work, according to a new Bloomberg report, as part of an ongoing effort to secure access to news content to develop artificial intelligence products while facing accusations of theft of copyrighted material.
The startup is seeking contracts with several news, video, and other digital media producers to ensure its AI-powered chatbot is accurate, relevant, and up-to-date.
There is also a threat of legal action against OpenAI for alleged copyright infringement. The New York Times filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI late last month over unauthorized use of their articles.
OpenAI discusses CNN-licensed articles that can be used to train ChatGPT and display CNN content that can be used in OpenAI products.
The negotiation process with CNN and Fox included articles, visual content, and photos.
The publisher is in discussions with OpenAI and we are optimistic about reaching a deal that reflects the fair value of the content,” Time CEO Jessica Sibley said in a statement.
OpenAI told Bloomberg last week that it was negotiating licensing deals with dozens of publishers, without naming the companies.
These partnerships are essential to the future of OpenAI because they balance the latest, most accurate data needed to develop models with public control over the source of this data.
OpenAI said it is in discussions with the News Media Alliance, a trade group representing more than 2,200 media companies around the world, to explore opportunities, discuss issues and propose solutions.
The AI startup has also held talks with Gannett and News Corp. and IAC, the New York Times recently reported.
Several other major media companies have also expressed their willingness to negotiate with the AI startup.
“We have already been in discussions with a number of developers, including OpenAI, and we expect the discussions will now develop into commercial discussions about how they can use our information to build and operate their products,” The Guardian said.
OpenAI has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Axel Springer worth tens of millions of dollars, Bloomberg previously reported.
The artificial intelligence startup announced a deal with The Associated Press in July for an undisclosed sum.
To maintain access to copyrighted works, OpenAI faces significant risks.
Given the amount of copyrighted content online, “it would be impossible to train today’s basic AI models without using copyrighted material,” the company said in a report to the House of Lords this month.
"Restricting training data to generic books and drawings that have been around for more than a century will not lead to AI systems that meet the needs of today's citizens," the company added.