OpenAI to use Financial Times content to train AI models in latest media partnership
While the financial terms of the agreement with Financial Times were not disclosed, this latest expansion of media partnerships follows similar deals by Microsoft-backed OpenAI over the past few months.
The UK's Financial Times has struck a strategic partnership and licensing agreement with Microsoft-backed OpenAI to enhance ChatGPT with attributed content, help improve its models’ usefulness by incorporating FT journalism, and collaborate on developing new AI products and features for FT readers, the Financial Times and OpenAI shared about the latest media tie-up.
ChatGPT users will be able to see select attributed summaries, quotes and rich links to FT journalism in response to relevant queries, the report added.
While the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, this latest expansion of media partnerships follows similar deals by OpenAI over the past few months with the Associated Press, global news publisher Axel Springer, France's Le Monde and Spain-based Prisa Media. This week, Axel Springer SE and Microsoft Corp. announced an expanded, multifaceted partnership across advertising, AI, content and cloud computing. The cooperation aims to leverage cutting-edge innovation to support independent journalism around the world, Microsoft said in a statement.
FT Group CEO John Ridding said the agreement recognises "the value of our award-winning journalism and will give us early insights into how content is surfaced through AI," adding that "this partnership will help to keep us at the forefront of developments in how people access and use information.”
Ridding added, “Apart from the benefits to the FT, there are broader implications for the industry. It’s right, of course, that AI platforms pay publishers for the use of their material. OpenAI understands the importance of transparency, attribution, and compensation – all essential for us. At the same time, it’s clearly in the interests of users that these products contain reliable sources.”
Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, said, “Our partnership and ongoing dialogue with the FT is about finding creative and productive ways for AI to empower news organisations and journalists, and enrich the ChatGPT experience with real-time, world-class journalism for millions of people around the world.”
"We're keen to explore the practical outcomes regarding news sources and AI through this partnership,” said Ridding. He added, "As with any transformative technology, there is potential for significant advancements and major challenges, but what’s never possible is turning back time. It’s important for us to represent quality journalism as these products take shape – with the appropriate safeguards in place to protect the FT’s content and brand."
