OpenAI inks multi-year deal with Condé Nast

OpenAI has announced a multi-year partnership with Condé Nast in a blog post detailing plans to integrate content from renowned publications such as Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Wired into its AI platforms like ChatGPT and the experimental SearchGPT prototype.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Discussing the partnership in a company-wide email, now posted on its website, Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch highlighted that "generative AI is rapidly changing ways audiences are discovering information" and emphasised the need to "meet audiences where they are" while ensuring proper attribution and compensation for their intellectual property.

Lynch also addressed the broader challenges faced by the media industry, noting that over the last decade, news and digital media have faced steep challenges as many technology companies eroded publishers’ ability to monetise content, most recently with traditional search. He pointed out that the partnership with OpenAI would help "make up for some of that revenue”, allowing the company to continue investing in its journalism and creative endeavours. Lynch also stressed that the collaboration is a step toward creating a "technology-enabled future" that is handled responsibly, ensuring that the "exceptional content produced by Condé Nast" remains irreplaceable.

Condé Nast has already been actively integrating AI into the operations of its flagship brands like Vogue, GQ, and Vanity Fair—utilising AI to analyse fashion trends by processing large datasets from social media, runway shows, and street fashion, as well as digital marketing and content distribution, and to enhance it video content strategies. 

This agreement is the latest in a series of partnerships between media outlets and AI companies, reflecting a growing recognition that collaboration with AI platforms may be inevitable for media companies, even though the optimal model for these partnerships is still being developed. Recent examples include OpenAI’s agreements with the Associated Press, Financial Times, Vox Media, Paris' Le Monde newspaper, Axel Springer in Germany, Prisa Media in Spain, social platform Reddit, and News Corp—which includes content from The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and MarketWatch. These deals are designed to leverage AI to enhance content distribution, while ensuring that publishers maintain control over their intellectual property and receive appropriate compensation.

However, in other cases, several media organisations have also pushed back on the infringement of AI systems into their sectors, taking legal action against OpenAI over the unauthorised use of their content to train models. The New York Times announced its pursuit of litigation in December last year, citing concerns over copyright infringement and the impact on their revenue. Similarly, the Center for Investigative Reporting has sued OpenAI, accusing the company of using their content without permission, which they argue undermines their ability to monetise their work. Other digital outlets, like Raw Story, Alternet, and The Intercept, have also filed lawsuits, highlighting the growing tension between AI companies and traditional media as they seek to protect their intellectual property​.