AP has announced a partnership with OpenAI to explore the potential use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the news industry. As part of the deal, AP will license a portion of its vast archive of historical news stories to OpenAI. In return, AP will gain access to OpenAI’s large language model technology, including its popular ChatGPT, which can engage in human-like conversations and create content.
Although AP has not provided specific details on how it plans to integrate OpenAI’s technology into its news business, the collaboration will allow OpenAI to access AP’s extensive news data for training and refining its AI systems. This partnership could pave the way for the responsible adoption of generative AI in the news industry.
Despite concerns about the risks associated with generative AI, such as the creation of inaccurate content and potential biases, AP has previously embraced AI technology. It has used AI models to automate corporate earnings reports and expanded its use to cover some sporting events. AP also employs automation in its news gathering and production processes, including translating weather alerts into multiple languages.
AP aims to work closely with OpenAI to identify responsible use cases for generative AI in its news products and services. The goal is to establish industry standards and best practices that can guide other newsrooms in leveraging generative AI. While the news industry explores ways to enhance its output using AI, protecting content from unauthorized use by AI models remains a critical concern.
OpenAI and other players in the generative AI industry have faced criticism for scraping publicly available data without permission from content creators. AP emphasizes the importance of protecting intellectual property rights in this partnership with OpenAI, stating its support for fair compensation for content creators.
Kristin Heitmann, AP’s senior vice president and chief revenue officer, emphasizes the need for news organizations to have a say in ensuring that intellectual property is safeguarded and that the technology benefits journalism across newsrooms of all sizes.
Several news publications have already begun testing the use of generative AI for content creation. BuzzFeed, for example, utilizes AI to generate personality quizzes, while the New York Times collaborated with OpenAI on a Valentine’s Day message generator.
The partnership between AP and OpenAI signals a commitment to exploring the potential of generative AI in the news industry while addressing concerns and challenges associated with its implementation. By working together, they aim to advance the development of responsible and ethical AI practices in journalism.
