OpenAI has signed an agreement to access Reddit content in real-time via an API, enabling the company to display discussions from the site in ChatGPT and other new products. Previously, Reddit concluded a similar agreement with Google, valued at $60 million. The financial terms of the deal with OpenAI have not been disclosed, and neither company has discussed the AI training data set specifics.
The agreement will help Reddit deliver new AI-powered features to its users and moderators, leveraging OpenAI’s large language models to build apps. Additionally, OpenAI will become Reddit’s advertising partner. We’ll keep you updated on how these new developments unfold.
User Reactions and Historical Context
Reddit users are known for their outspoken nature regarding platform management, and it is uncertain how they will react to the OpenAI deal. Last year, over 7,000 sections of the site went offline in protest against the introduction of a paid API. Similarly, Stack Overflow faced conflicts with users after its agreement with OpenAI.
When announcing the deal with Google, Reddit’s management emphasized “better ways to train models.” In contrast, the partnership with OpenAI has been less transparent, though it is known that the project was led by OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer with approval from an independent board of directors. NIX Solutions adds that OpenAI’s head, Sam Altman, is a Reddit shareholder.
“Reddit has become one of the internet’s largest archives of authentic, relevant conversations between people about everything. Its inclusion in ChatGPT supports our faith in the internet – it will help people find what they are looking for and help new audiences find community on Reddit,” said platform CEO Steve Huffman.
Previously, Reddit’s administration did not always welcome data collection for AI training and even threatened to block Google robots from accessing the site. Additionally, OpenAI once claimed that moderators of a ChatGPT-dedicated forum violated its copyright by using the chatbot logo as an emblem.