HarperCollins Partners With AI Company, Authors Debate Participation - 1

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HarperCollins Partners With AI Company, Authors Debate Participation

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

HarperCollins partners with an AI company to use nonfiction books for training, offering authors $2,500, allowing them to opt in.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • The deal aims to improve AI model quality and performance using select nonfiction works.
  • Critics highlight concerns over copyright use and AI’s impact on authors’ livelihoods.
  • Author Daniel Kibblesmith shared details of the offer, sparking industry debate on AI’s role.

HarperCollins, one of the world’s leading publishers, has entered into a partnership with an unnamed artificial intelligence technology company, enabling select nonfiction works to be used for AI model training.

This agreement, confirmed by 404 Media , marks another instance of the publishing industry’s intersection with emerging technologies. The deal permits the limited use of nonfiction backlist titles to enhance AI quality and performance.

Authors have the option to participate or decline, with HarperCollins presenting it as an opportunity for collaboration while emphasizing its commitment to protecting authors’ rights. The one-time payment for participation has been set at $2,500, as reported by 404 Media.

By allowing authors to decide whether to opt in, the company attempts to address differing views on AI’s role in the creative process. However, the limited payment and the use of copyrighted materials have reignited industry debates about AI’s impact on intellectual property and creative labor.

Author Daniel Kibblesmith, known for his children’s book Santa’s Husband, shared details of the offer through Bluesky.

Abominable. [image or embed] — Daniel Kibblesmith ( @kibblesmith.com ) 15 November 2024 at 16:36

He revealed communication from his agent describing the AI deal, which included an explanation of its purpose in training AI models while compensating authors.

The message also acknowledged controversies surrounding the use of copyrighted content in generative AI development, particularly when such use occurs without proper recognition or compensation.

In a statement to The A.V. Club , Kibblesmith wrote that, “It seems like they think they’re cooked, and they’re chasing short money while they can. I disagree. The fear of robots replacing authors is a false binary.”

“I see it as the beginning of two diverging markets, readers who want to connect with other humans across time and space, or readers who are satisfied with a customized on-demand content pellet fed to them by the big computer so they never have to be challenged again,” Kibblesmith added.

The deal underscores the growing tension between technological advancement and the preservation of traditional creative industries. As AI continues to shape the future of publishing, debates about the fair use of intellectual property and the role of human creativity are likely to intensify.

Alibaba To Raise $5 Billion In Largest Corporate Deal In Asia Pacific - 2

Photo by zhang hui on Unsplash

Alibaba To Raise $5 Billion In Largest Corporate Deal In Asia Pacific

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert

The Chinese giant Alibaba is in negotiations to raise $5 billion in a multicurrency bond sales deal, which would be the biggest corporate deal in the Asia Pacific this year.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Reuters reported Alibaba is expecting to raise $5 billion in funding
  • The e-commerce giant is negotiating two bond sales, one in U.S. dollars and another one in Chinese yuans
  • The company’s recent quarter results showed a 5% increase in revenue, totaling $33,701 million

According to Reuters , anonymous sources familiar with the matter showed the news agency documentation with the terms for bond sales—a type of debt instrument.

The multinational technology conglomerate is negotiating a multiple tranches agreement in dollars and another one in yuans.

Alibaba confirmed this Monday that it is planning on raising funds with bonds but didn’t share details of the deals.

If the deals go through, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), the funding would become the largest bond deal in the Asia Pacific in the industry.

Last Friday, the e-commerce giant shared its quarter results 2024 for the past period, showing steady growth and a 5% increase in revenue, totaling $33,701 million.

“We are more confident in our core businesses than ever and will continue to invest in supporting long-term growth,” said Eddie Wu, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group in a public statement.

With the new investment, Alibaba expects to use the cash to repay debts and other corporate requirements.

According to Benzinga , the e-commerce giant expects to get lower interest rates with the bond deals to restore or increase its financial capital and resources. This could allow Alibaba to buy back shares and make strategic investments without compromising its financial resources.

Alibaba has also joined the AI boom, the Chinese tech giant recently released over 100 new open-source AI models and text-to-video AI tools.