Reddit Deal With OpenAI Gives ChatGPT Access To Content

Tom Jowitt,
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OpenAI strikes deal with Reddit to train its AI tech on user posts and give ChatGPT direct access to the platform’s content

Social media platform Reddit has signed a content agreement with OpenAI that will give the AI pioneer access to all the user posts on the Reddit platform.

The partnership between the two was announced by Reddit on Thursday, and the deal will give ChatGPT direct access to the platform’s content, as well as allow OpenAI’s AI models to train on the data. Financial terms of the agreement were not revealed.

But the deal is similar to the AI training agreement that Reddit signed with Google back in February, that saw Google reportedly agree to pay $60 million annually for access to the content on the Reddit platform.

OpenAI artificial intelligence ChatGPT
Image credit: Levart Photographer/Unsplash

OpenAI agreement

Reddit pointed out that it has a uniquely large and vibrant community that has long been an important space for conversation on the internet. It said that using LLMs, ML, and AI allow Reddit to improve the user experience for everyone.

“In line with this, Reddit and OpenAI today announced a partnership to benefit both the Reddit and OpenAI user communities in a number of ways,” it sstated.

As part of the agreement:

  1. OpenAI will bring Reddit content to ChatGPT and new products, helping users discover and engage with Reddit communities. To do so, OpenAI will access Reddit’s Data API, which provides real-time, structured, and unique content from Reddit. This will enable OpenAI’s AI tools to better understand and showcase Reddit content, especially on recent topics.
  2. This partnership will also enable Reddit to bring new AI-powered features to redditors and mods. Reddit will be building on OpenAI’s platform of AI models to bring its powerful vision to life.
  3. Lastly, OpenAI will become a Reddit advertising partner.

“We are thrilled to partner with Reddit to enhance ChatGPT with uniquely timely and relevant information, and to explore the possibilities to enrich the Reddit experience with AI-powered features,” said Brad Lightcap, OpenAI COO.

“Reddit has become one of the internet’s largest open archives of authentic, relevant, and always up to date human conversations about anything and everything,” said Steve Huffman, Reddit Co-Founder and CEO. “Including it in ChatGPT upholds our belief in a connected internet, helps people find more of what they’re looking for, and helps new audiences find community on Reddit.”

Privacy concerns

Reddit sought to head off any potential privacy concerns among its users over this deal, stating that it believes privacy is a right and it has recently published its own Public Content Policy.

“This partnership is consistent with other content arrangements, and does not change Reddit’s Data API Terms or Developer Terms, which state content accessed through Reddit’s Data API cannot be used for commercial purposes without Reddit’s approval,” stated the social platform.

“API access remains free for non-commercial usage under our published threshold.”

OpenAI has signed content deals with other online presences over the past year, including German media publisher Axel Springer and the Associated Press.