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In a bold move that merges journalism with artificial intelligence, The Atlantic has forged a deal with OpenAI, allowing the tech firm to leverage The Atlantic’s vast archives as training data for its AI models. This agreement signifies a major shift in how traditional media grapples with the burgeoning influence of artificial intelligence and modern search technologies. This article delves into the potential impacts of this deal on both journalism and AI search products.
Why The Atlantic Partnered with OpenAI
According to Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, the decision to collaborate with OpenAI offers multiple benefits. The primary incentives include immediate revenue, potential increases in traffic through new product partnerships, and an opportunity to help shape the future trajectory of AI in journalism.
“As AI rapidly evolves, being part of the transition—whether it’s good or bad—is crucial for journalism,” Nicholas said. “We spoke to various AI companies before finalizing the deal with OpenAI, outlining what parameters would make the deal acceptable to us.”
The Mechanics of the Deal
The agreement involves multiple elements:
- For a limited period of two years, OpenAI is allowed to train their models on The Atlantic’s archival data. This includes reading and integrating the magazine’s extensive content into their language models.
- There is a product partnership aspect where The Atlantic receives credits and possibly engineering support from OpenAI. These resources facilitate developing experimental tools for readers, such as a Chrome extension that showcases The Atlantic’s articles relevant to the content being browsed.
- The deal encompasses a search element. OpenAI is committed to integrating The Atlantic’s content into any forthcoming AI-driven search products. The expectation is that being included in such a product will enhance visibility when people navigate the internet.
- A collaborative feedback loop between The Atlantic and OpenAI ensures that any interesting developments or issues noted in features like browse mode are addressed promptly.
Potential Revenue and Market Impact
While the specifics of the financial terms are confidential, Nicholas emphasized that the revenue is “material and meaningful” for The Atlantic within the deal’s timeframe. Nonetheless, there remains a healthy skepticism grounded in past experiences with tech giants like Facebook and Google who pulled back on their financial commitments to journalism. This history has instilled caution, but the prospective long-term benefits appear to outweigh these concerns.
“It’s about ensuring a fair exchange of value. The hope is that through such deals, AI models will incorporate and elevate top-tier journalism rather than undermine it,” Nicholas said.
The Future of AI Search Products
The integration of high-quality journalism into AI models sets a fundamental precedent for future AI search products. Nicholas noted that while AI search capabilities are currently lacking, the long-term expectation is that such products will evolve. The Atlantic and other media organizations engaging in these partnerships hope to establish norms that prioritize content quality and proper linking to source material.
This proactive involvement in the early stages of AI search development could help prevent the “enshitification” of the internet—a term used to describe the pollution of the web with low-quality content. Proper integration policies will ensure that AI-driven search results will direct users to verified and credible sources.
The Ethical and Moral Debate
Despite the deal’s financial and strategic advantages, it has also sparked significant ethical concerns. Many journalists and staff at The Atlantic and other media organizations worry about AI’s potential to commodify creativity and displace human jobs. The controversy underscores a deeper dilemma: the tension between economic gains and the perceived moral violation of using AI in journalism.
“There’s an emotional facet to knowing that your work has been used to train AI without initial consent,” noted one journalist. This unease highlights the broader industry sentiment that financial compensation does not entirely rectify the ethical concerns.
Ultimately, Nicholas Thompson acknowledges these fears but stresses the importance of steering AI’s evolution in a direction that’s beneficial for journalism. Emphasizing the need for media companies to remain adaptable and proactive, he states, “We have to prepare and deal with it, making the best possible choices for the future of journalism.”
Concluding Thoughts
The Atlantic’s partnership with OpenAI stands as a landmark moment, reflecting both the opportunities and challenges AI presents to journalism. As AI technology continues to advance, the media landscape will undoubtedly undergo further transformations. By engaging in such strategic partnerships, traditional media organizations like The Atlantic aim to navigate this evolving terrain while striving to maintain the integrity and value of quality journalism.
For more information, listen to the full interview with Nicholas Thompson on Decoder, hosted by Nilay Patel.
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Priyanka 
Mehek