The Financial Times has reached an agreement with OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, allowing the use of FT content for training artificial intelligence systems.
As part of the deal, the FT will receive compensation, marking the latest collaboration between OpenAI and news publishers.
Under the arrangement, users of ChatGPT will receive summaries, quotes, and links to FT articles in responses to prompts.
John Ridding, CEO of the FT Group, emphasized the importance of AI companies compensating publishers for their content. He praised OpenAI’s commitment to transparency, attribution, and compensation, stating that reliable sources are essential for users of AI products.
OpenAI has previously signed similar agreements with news agencies such as the Associated Press, French newspaper Le Monde, Spanish media group Prisa Media, and German publisher Axel Springer.
Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, highlighted the significance of representing quality journalism as AI products evolve. He acknowledged the potential for advancements and challenges in transformative technology.
Generative AI, exemplified by chatbots like ChatGPT, relies on models trained on vast amounts of internet data, including copyrighted material. Authors and companies, including Jodi Picoult, John Grisham, George RR Martin, and Getty Images, have raised copyright infringement concerns against OpenAI.
Last year, FT Editor Roula Khalaf announced the newsroom’s responsible experimentation with AI tools for story discovery. However, she assured transparency and affirmed that journalism at the FT would continue to be human-written.
