The Financial Times (FT) has partnered with OpenAI to enhance ChatGPT with FT articles and develop new AI tools for FT readers, the newspaper announced.
FT staff will be able to use ChatGPT Enterprise, but the paper remains "committed to human journalism," it said. The deal shows that OpenAI values the FT's journalism and wants to understand how AI systems use content, said FT chief executive John Ridding.
"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," Ridding said, noting that "what’s never possible is turning back time."
OpenAI knows it's important to be transparent, to give credit and to pay for content, the FT said. The goal is to find new ways for AI to help newsgroups and improve ChatGPT with quality reporting. OpenAI has deals with some publishers worth millions a year.
OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap says the deal is also about "finding creative and productive ways for AI to empower news organisations and journalists."
When a publisher makes a deal, it strengthens ChatGPT as a way of sharing online content. This puts pressure on other publishers to make a deal. If they don't get a deal, they may have to give away ChatGPT content for free. It's a classic prisoner's dilemma situation.
