OpenAI wants to license CNN, FOX, Time news content

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Artificial intelligence (AI) giant OpenAI has reportedly opened talks with a trio of mainstream news media outlets to use their content to train its large language model (LLM), ChatGPT, amid an avalanche of copyright lawsuits.

OpenAI seeks a long-term partnership with CNN, FOX, and Time to integrate their news content into ChatGPT’s training, Bloomberg reported. The AI developer’s latest move aims to improve the chatbot’s accuracy while eliminating potential copyright infringement cases.

Bloomberg reveals OpenAI’s discussions with CNN are at an advanced stage, with the AI firm eyeing to receive permission for a wide range of content. OpenAI’s negotiations with FOX and CNN are probing beyond licensing for news content to audio, video, and image content.

While CNN and FOX have yet to issue statements, Time CEO Jessica Sibley confirmed the existence of talks between the publishing house and OpenAI, with experts predicting that reaching an agreement with any party would cost the AI firm a fortune.

“[Time] is in discussions with OpenAI and we are optimistic about reaching an agreement that reflects the fair value of our content,” said Jessica Sibley.

OpenAI has been mulling partnerships with mainstream news media since Q4 of 2023, driven by the need to improve ChatGPT’s accuracy. The company’s previous statement did not namecheck any specific outlets but confirmed opening discussions with leading media organizations.

“We’ve met with dozens, as well as leading industry organizations like the News/Media Alliance, to explore opportunities, discuss their concerns, and provide solutions,” stated OpenAI in a blog post. “Our goals are to support a healthy news ecosystem, be a good partner, and create mutually beneficial opportunities.”

Apart from its claim of providing tailor-made services to news outlets, a partnership with industry leaders is expected to open a range of benefits for OpenAI. ChatGPT-3.5, the chatbot’s free-to-use version, is trained with data preceding January 2022, but new partnerships could see all classes of users access the up-to-date responses.

Copyright issues plague OpenAI

OpenAI has been at the center of a copyright whirlwind, with the New York Times dragging the AI developer to court on allegations that it used copyrighted materials to train its LLM. OpenAI argued that the New York Times’ allegations are “without merit,” with the company confirming that it had opened talks for a “high-value partnership between both entities.

The U.S. Authors Guild and several organizations have filed claims of copyright infringement against OpenAI, alleging unjust enrichment along the way.

Several firms are already taking pre-emptive steps to prevent a breach of their intellectual property (IP) rights, with Fox rolling out a blockchain technology system to track AI firms’ use of its content.

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