News Corp. Decides to Take the Money From OpenAI in Major Licensing Deal

OpenAI has cut another major media licensing deal.

The artificial intelligence firm has inked a deal with News Corp. that will bring content from its stable of media outlets to ChatGPT and other OpenAI products.

“Through this partnership, OpenAI has permission to display content from News Corp mastheads in response to user questions and to enhance its products, with the ultimate objective of providing people the ability to make informed choices based on reliable information and news sources,” the companies said in the announcement.

The News Corp. properties The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Investor’s Business Daily, FN and New York Post; The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun; The Australian, news.com.au, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail, The Advertiser and Herald Sun are all part of the deal, terms of which were not disclosed.

News Corp. will also “share journalistic expertise” with OpenAI “to help ensure the highest journalism standards are present across OpenAI’s offering.”

News Corp. CEO Robert Thomson has previously said that he expects AI deals to eventually deliver “significant” revenue for the company, saying in an earnings call last year that “generative AI engines are only as sophisticated as their inputs and need constant replenishing to remain relevant. And we are proud to partner with responsible purveyors of AI products and their prescient leaders.”

The deal with News Corp. comes amid a flurry of other deals from OpenAI, including a deal with Reddit last week and a deal with People owner Dotdash Meredith earlier in May.

But it also comes days after OpenAI found itself in hot water after actress Scarlett Johansson sent legal letters to the company, accusing it of trying to strike a deal for her voice as part of a new ChatGPT voice feature, only to see the company release a voice that sounded very similar to Johansson called “Sky.”

“We believe an historic agreement will set new standards for veracity, for virtue and for value in the digital age,” said Thomson. “We are delighted to have found principled partners in Sam Altman and his trusty, talented team who understand the commercial and social significance of journalists and journalism. This landmark accord is not an end, but the beginning of a beautiful friendship in which we are jointly committed to creating and delivering insight and integrity instantaneously.”

“Our partnership with News Corp is a proud moment for journalism and technology,” added Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “We greatly value News Corp’s history as a leader in reporting breaking news around the world, and are excited to enhance our users’ access to its high-quality reporting. Together, we are setting the foundation for a future where AI deeply respects, enhances, and upholds the standards of world-class journalism.”