The Atlantic's OpenAI Deal Shows How Publishers Shape AI Terms

The Common Question

Should media companies license content to AI firms or wait for regulation?

The Lesson in This Case

The Atlantic struck a content licensing deal with OpenAI rather than wait for the courts or Congress to define the terms. The publication bet that shaping how AI systems engage with its journalism – from the inside – offers more editorial control than standing apart and hoping for favorable regulation. Senior leaders watching AI budget decisions should note the pattern: the organizations extracting value from AI right now are the ones negotiating the rules of engagement, not the ones observing from a distance.

Originally reported by Harvard Business Review. Read the full story here.