Condé Nast Embraces AI: A Groundbreaking Deal with OpenAI to Shape the Future of Journalism

To look at this article again, go to My Profile and then click on View saved stories.

Condé Nast Secures Agreement With OpenAI

In a recent development, Condé Nast has entered into a long-term agreement with OpenAI, granting the AI behemoth access to material from its extensive portfolio of publications, such as the New Yorker, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Bon Appetit, and WIRED. This collaboration will enable OpenAI to integrate articles from these publications into ChatGPT and the newly introduced SearchGPT prototype.

Condé Nast Chief Executive Officer Roger Lynch emphasized the importance of engaging with audiences through their preferred channels and adopting innovative technologies. At the same time, he stressed the necessity of safeguarding rights and ensuring fair remuneration for the use of the company's intellectual property. In a memo sent to the entire company, Lynch referred to the current challenges faced by the publishing sector. He highlighted how tech companies have increasingly complicated publishers' revenue generation efforts, particularly through recent modifications to conventional search mechanisms.

"He expressed that initiating a collaboration with OpenAI compensates partially for the revenue loss, enabling ongoing support and investment in our journalistic and creative projects," he stated.

Earlier this year, Lynch appeared before Congress to discuss the training methodologies of AI firms such as OpenAI, advocating for a licensing approach. He has consistently criticized AI enterprises for utilizing content without authorization, referring to such data as "stolen goods." Following a report by WIRED on the data-harvesting methods of the AI search engine newcomer Perplexity, Condé Nast issued a legal notice to halt the use of its content by the company.

The details of the agreement have not been made public. OpenAI has chosen not to speak about the conditions of the deal.

"The increasing intrusion of AI into the field of journalism poses a major worry for members of our NewsGuild of New York. Our expectation is for the management at Condé to maintain openness regarding the utilization of this technology and its potential effects on our jobs," stated Susan DeCarava, the president of the NewsGuild of New York, a union representing editorial staff at Condé Nast. "We are in pursuit of further information regarding Condé’s agreement with OpenAI to guarantee the safeguarding of our members’ rights."

OpenAI, in a recent blog post, shared news of a new collaboration, highlighting that it's not the pioneer in forming partnerships with generative AI firms. Notable publishers such as The Atlantic, Axel Springer, and TIME, along with platforms like Reddit and Automattic, the entity behind WordPress.com and Tumblr, have already entered into similar agreements. Historically, leading AI entities have relied on harvesting data from the web without securing licenses for the copyrighted content, leading to numerous legal challenges, including those from prominent news organizations like The New York Times. These lawsuits stem from claims of unjust practices, sparking a trend of more publishers opting to work alongside the foremost names in AI.

Online media outlets depend on search engines and various platforms to attract audience to their content. Adjustments in the algorithms that manage Google Search or Facebook’s News Feed can significantly impact the success of these media organizations. With Google and similar search engines expanding their scope to include generative AI-generated news briefs and other AI-driven services, and as generative AI entities such as OpenAI launch their search services, news publishers are confronted with a critical decision. If they choose to block these companies from accessing their data, they face the potential consequence of their content becoming less visible online.

As an increasing number of publishers enter into agreements, various other stakeholders in the sector are scrutinizing the approach. Writing for The Atlantic, The Information’s CEO, Jessica Lessin, likened these agreements to "agreeing to terms without going to court," and suggested that publishers are sacrificing their well-established trustworthiness for some financial gain from businesses that are simultaneously depreciating their value and creating products that are evidently aimed at supplanting them.

Employees at Condé Nast are raising alarms over the arrangement. "Assisting in training tools that propagate false information and undermine the expertise we've dedicated years to develop is not something anyone of us desires,” shared a journalist from a Condé publication with WIRED, preferring to remain unnamed due to worries about career backlash.

Discover More…

Explore the World of Politics: Subscribe to our newsletter and tune into our podcast.

Exploring the outcomes of providing individuals with no-strings-

Weight loss isn't guaranteed with Ozempic for everyone.

The Pentagon is planning to allocate $141 billion towards a catastrophic device.

Gathering Announcement: Be part of the Energy Tech Summit happening on October 10th in Berlin.

Additional Content from WIRED

Evaluations and Manuals

© 2024 Condé Nast. Rights reserved. WIRED might receive a share of revenue from items bought via our website, as a result of our affiliate agreements with retail partners. Content from this site cannot be copied, shared, broadcast, stored, or utilized in any form without explicit written consent from Condé Nast. Advertisement Options

Choose a global website