NYT Lands an AI Partner, and Presumably a Lot of Money
May 29, 2025 - spyglass.org
In 2023, The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, but has now entered its first official AI licensing deal with Amazon. This agreement allows Amazon to use The Times' editorial content across its platforms, including Alexa, and to train its proprietary AI models. The deal also includes content from NYT Cooking and The Athletic. The Times' CEO, Meredith Kopit Levien, emphasized the importance of valuing high-quality journalism through commercial deals or intellectual property rights enforcement. The financial terms of the deal with Amazon were not disclosed, but it is suggested that Amazon offered significantly more than OpenAI, leading to the lawsuit against the latter.
This deal raises questions about the future of journalism and AI, as bespoke agreements like this may not provide a sustainable model for the industry. There is speculation about whether Amazon will have exclusive early access to NYT content, potentially affecting other AI services like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Siri. The use of NYT content to train Amazon's AI models may also provoke reactions from Times reporters and writers. Overall, the deal highlights the ongoing disruption AI is causing in web search and publishing.
Key takeaways:
The New York Times has entered into a licensing agreement with Amazon to provide its editorial content for use in Amazon's AI platforms.
This deal marks the first time The Times has agreed to a licensing arrangement focused on generative AI technology.
The agreement includes content from NYT Cooking and The Athletic, and allows Amazon to use NYT content with Alexa.
The deal will enable Amazon to use The Times' material to train its proprietary AI models, raising questions about the implications for Times reporters and writers.
