Microsoft (MSFT, Financial) has reached an agreement with HarperCollins, a subsidiary of News Corp (NWS), to utilize the publisher's extensive non-fiction book resources for training its artificial intelligence models. This collaboration focuses solely on using selected older books for model training, without involving the creation of new books. Authors can choose whether to participate in this initiative.
The aim is to incorporate HarperCollins' books into Microsoft's yet-to-be-announced AI models, enhancing the quality and performance by expanding high-quality text sources. While Microsoft has not commented on the agreement, HarperCollins confirmed the deal, stating it permits limited use of selected non-fiction books for AI training. The agreement emphasizes respecting author rights, allowing them to opt-in voluntarily.
HarperCollins highlighted the agreement's limited scope and its commitment to protecting authors' core values, income, and royalties. The deal sets clear boundaries for respecting author rights, successfully achieving this goal.
Tech companies, including Microsoft, are actively seeking high-quality text sources to train AI models. They obtain licenses to use diverse data, from social media to news articles, to improve program accuracy and expertise on specific topics. Previously, News Corp signed an agreement with OpenAI to use content from multiple publications. Microsoft also collaborates with various publishers for AI projects.
Earlier this year, Google entered a $60 million agreement with Reddit to use numerous subreddits for AI model training. However, some publishers express dissatisfaction with AI companies using content without permission, leading to lawsuits. The New York Times, for example, sued OpenAI and Microsoft for alleged copyright infringement.
In summary, Microsoft's agreement with HarperCollins signifies a significant step in acquiring high-quality text sources for AI model training. Nonetheless, balancing resource utilization with author rights remains a challenge for publishers and tech companies.
