Vogue Owner Condé Nast Signs Deal With OpenAI
OpenAI, led by CEO Sam Altman, has announced a multi-year partnership with global media giant Condé Nast. This deal will allow OpenAI’s ChatGPT and its prototype search engine, SearchGPT, to display content from prominent Condé Nast brands such as Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, and Wired. The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
This collaboration is the latest in a series of partnerships OpenAI has forged with major media firms, including Time magazine, the Financial Times, and France's Le Monde. These deals are crucial for OpenAI as it seeks to access high-quality content to train its AI models.
However, not all media organisations are on board—some, like the New York Times, have filed lawsuits against OpenAI over alleged copyright infringements.
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, emphasised the company’s commitment to maintaining "accuracy, integrity, and respect for quality reporting" as AI becomes more integrated into news discovery and delivery.
Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch echoed this sentiment, noting that the partnership would help offset revenue losses that news organizations have faced due to the rise of digital platforms.
Partnership to aid in development of SearchGPT
The partnership also ties into OpenAI’s ongoing efforts to refine its SearchGPT tool, which was launched in July. The company is working closely with its media partners to gather feedback and improve the platform’s design and performance. SearchGPT aims to compete with Google, which currently dominates the global search market.
News organisations have expressed concerns about AI-driven search engines like SearchGPT, which provide conversational responses rather than traditional links. These changes could potentially impact the search traffic that many media firms rely on for revenue. Despite these challenges, some companies, including Condé Nast, see partnerships with AI firms as an opportunity to innovate and protect their journalism.
As the landscape of news delivery evolves, OpenAI’s collaborations with established media brands are shaping the future of how content is accessed and consumed. While the long-term implications are still unfolding, these partnerships represent a significant shift in the relationship between AI technology and traditional media.
