In a move that could have far-reaching implications for the future of news and information, artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI and media giant News Corp announced a multi-year, global partnership on Wednesday (May 22).
The agreement, announced in a joint press release, will enable OpenAI's popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, to access and display content from more than a dozen News Corp publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch and the New York Post.
Under the terms of the agreement, OpenAI will gain access to fresh and archived content from News Corp's vast portfolio of publications, covering a wide range of topics from business and finance to politics and entertainment. In addition, News Corp will share the expertise of its journalists with OpenAI to enhance its AI understanding of the news landscape.
“We believe this historic agreement will establish a new standard for truth, virtue and value in the digital age,” News Corp CEO Robert Thomson said in a news release. “We are pleased to have found a principled partner in Sam Altman and a trusted, talented team that understands the commercial and societal importance of journalists and journalism. This landmark agreement is not the end, but the beginning of a beautiful friendship that will see us working together to create and deliver insight and integrity in an instantaneous way.”
Experts say the deal is about more than just training data
The partnership is a major step forward in the integration of AI and journalism, and could have a major impact on how people access and consume news in the future. However, some experts believe that the deal will do more than just improve ChatGPT's news and information capabilities.
“Most people look at the OpenAI/News Corp deal and think it's about training data, but no. It's about ChatGPT competing with Google Search,” Nathaniel Whitmore, CEO of AI education company Superintelligent, told PYMNTS.
“OpenAI doesn't just want ChatGPT to help us write text. We want ChatGPT to help us with everything,” he added. “And that means turning ChatGPT into the leading gateway to the world. And that means partnering to connect the rest of the world to ChatGPT. That's what the deals with Reddit, News Corp, and others are really about. To mirror Google's mission, to organize the world's information.”
The move comes as more consumers are looking for a single app to help them coordinate their busy lives, with PYMNTS Intelligence saying roughly 100 million consumers in the U.S. and Australia would welcome a super app to help them multitask.
As the world becomes more digitally connected, consumers are looking to shave time off their daily routines. Data shows that consumers are open to using a single app for shopping, scheduling, and other chores, creating the conditions for super apps to emerge.
Growing concerns about AI's impact on news
The partnership comes amid increasing scrutiny of AI's role in the media industry, with some expressing concern about the potential for AI to spread misinformation or replace human journalists, while others see AI as a tool that augments and strengthens the work of traditional media.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the companies emphasized the long-term nature of their partnership and their commitment to working together to shape the future of news and information in the AI era.
