Publishing giant HarperCollins has entered into an agreement with an unnamed technology company to license a selection of nonfiction books for use in training artificial intelligence (AI) models. The deal will give authors the option to participate, according to the company's statement.
Partnership with Microsoft Confirmed
Bloomberg reported on November 19, 2024, that Microsoft is the technology partner in this collaboration. The specifics of the AI model being developed are yet to be revealed. However, HarperCollins emphasized the agreement's limited scope, with strong protections in place to safeguard authors' rights and revenues.
“HarperCollins has a long history of innovation and experimentation with new business models,” the company said in a statement. “We are offering authors opportunities while ensuring the protection of their works and the value we share through revenue and royalties.”
Writer Pushback Over AI Licensing
The deal has sparked controversy, particularly after writer Daniel Kibblesmith shared an email he received offering $2,500 for a three-year licensing agreement to include his book Santa’s Husband in the AI training bundle. Kibblesmith rejected the offer, calling it “abominable” and urging readers to support authors by purchasing books from local bookstores. The offer included terms that aimed to limit the verbatim use of the work and ensure proper credit, according to Kibblesmith's shared screenshots.
Similar AI Deals in the Industry
This move follows a similar deal made by News Corp, HarperCollins' parent company, in May 2024 with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT. The agreement allows OpenAI to use content from News Corp's news publications, such as The Wall Street Journal and The Sunday Times, to train its AI models. Other news organizations, like The Atlantic and Vox Media, have also entered similar partnerships with OpenAI.
However, not all publishers are embracing AI collaboration. The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the AI company of using its copyrighted articles and investigations without permission or compensation.
Global Backlash Over AI and Copyright
The debate over AI and copyright has extended beyond the U.S. In October, UK ministers faced criticism over plans that would allow AI companies to use publishers' and artists' content by default, unless creators opt out. Thousands of global creatives have signed a petition warning that the unlicensed use of their work by AI companies poses a significant threat to their livelihoods.
A HarperCollins spokesperson addressed the issue in a comment to SiliconRepublic.com, stating, "We have reached an agreement with an AI technology company to allow the use of select nonfiction titles for training AI models. We respect our authors' views, and participation in this deal is entirely voluntary."
The spokesperson also reiterated that the agreement's scope is tightly defined, with safeguards designed to respect authors’ rights and maintain the integrity of their work.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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