Axel Springer and OpenAI have joined forces in an exciting content partnership aimed at revolutionizing the world of journalism. OpenAI will integrate Axel Springer’s content into its ChatGPT platform and utilize the articles for AI training purposes. In addition, OpenAI will provide support to Axel Springer in the further development of its AI projects.
The collaboration between the two companies seeks to explore innovative ways of utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance journalistic offerings and create new streams of revenue. As part of this partnership, ChatGPT users worldwide will receive summaries of selected global news content from renowned Axel Springer media brands, including Politico, Business Insider, Bild, and Welt. These summaries will be accompanied by references and links to the full articles to ensure transparency and provide users with additional information.
Furthermore, this collaboration will also extend support to Axel Springer’s existing AI-driven projects that leverage OpenAI’s technology. In return, OpenAI will have access to Axel Springer’s content for training new AI models, although the financial aspects of this usage remain undisclosed at present.
This deal has the potential to retroactively legitimize the use of journalistic content for AI model training, an occurrence that likely already took place within Axel Springer. Just like books, high-quality editorial content is a crucial component of AI training. With the introduction of ChatGPT, OpenAI can now offer users up-to-date news without the risk of potential copyright infringement. OpenAI has previously established a similar partnership with the Associated Press.
Axel Springer has already expressed its commitment to AI through various actions and investments. The company announced an AI offensive in June 2023, aiming to transition to becoming a solely digital publisher. AI is viewed as a tool to provide journalists with more time for research and creativity, although it is expected to replace certain functions such as layout design for print newspapers.
Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of Axel Springer, emphasized the importance of journalists taking charge in understanding the potential threats to the industry. He stated, If someone wants to kill journalism, then we need to understand how and why, and we journalists should do it ourselves.
Axel Springer has established a dedicated global generative AI team to facilitate collaboration and innovation in the realm of AI. This team will assist Axel Springer and its various brands in effectively utilizing generative AI across their processes and products.
The partnership between Axel Springer and OpenAI signifies a significant step forward in the integration of AI and journalism. By combining their expertise and resources, the two companies aim to revolutionize the way news is consumed and establish a prosperous future for the industry.
