OpenAI strikes Reddit deal to train its AI on your posts
OpenAI signs a deal with Reddit for real-time access to posts for AI training, while Reddit gains AI-powered features and ad partnership.
OpenAI has entered into a significant agreement with Reddit, granting OpenAI real-time access to content from Reddit’s data API. This allows OpenAI to incorporate Reddit discussions into ChatGPT and other AI products. This deal is similar to Reddit's earlier arrangement with Google, rumored to be worth $60 million. As part of the deal, Reddit will leverage OpenAI’s technology to develop new AI-powered features for its users and moderators, enhancing user experience and engagement on the platform. Additionally, OpenAI will become an advertising partner on Reddit.
The collaboration is poised to bring new AI capabilities to Reddit, but it has raised concerns among users who previously protested changes to Reddit’s API pricing. In June 2023, over 7,000 subreddits went dark in protest of these changes. The recent partnership with OpenAI follows a similar trend seen with Stack Overflow, which led to user suspensions for attempting to delete their posts. Despite these concerns, neither Reddit nor OpenAI disclosed the financial details of their agreement, nor did they mention specifics regarding training data, which contrasts with Reddit’s explicit data-sharing terms in its deal with Google.
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman highlighted the platform's vast repository of human conversations as a valuable asset for AI integration. He emphasized that including Reddit in ChatGPT supports a connected internet and helps users find relevant information and communities. However, Reddit has had a contentious relationship with companies scraping its data for AI training, previously threatening to block Google web crawlers and challenging moderators for unauthorized use of the ChatGPT logo. The partnership with OpenAI, led by OpenAI’s COO and approved by its independent Board of Directors, reflects a strategic move to enhance Reddit's AI capabilities while navigating the complexities of data usage and user privacy.