Faced with the meteoric rise of generative artificial intelligence, the world of publishing is transforming. Publishers are starting to negotiate contracts with AI companies to protect their copyrights while monetizing their content. This development raises many questions about the future of literary creation and the role of authors in this new digital economy.

Innovative contracts for authors

Recently, the major American publisher HarperCollins offered some of its authors a contract with an artificial intelligence company, whose identity remains confidential. This agreement allows the AI ​​to use the published works of the authors to train its generative artificial intelligence model. In exchange, the publisher offers $2,500 per book selected for a period of three years.

To work effectively, generative AI models require a considerable amount of data. Indeed, these systems must be supplied with content to produce a variety of texts in response to queries formulated in everyday language. The agreement between HarperCollins and the AI ​​company aims to regulate this use while respecting copyright.

Varied reactions in the publishing sector

Reactions to this initiative are divided within the edition. Some authors, such as Daniel Kibblesmithexpressed their dissatisfaction. On the social network Bluesky, he said: “I would probably do it for a billion dollars. I would do it for an amount of money that would no longer require me to work, since that is the end goal of this technology. »

This offer raises questions about the value of literary creations and the way in which they are remunerated in a context where AI plays an increasingly dominant role.

Precedents in the sector

HarperCollins is not the only publisher exploring this type of agreement. In March 2024, the publisher of scientific books Wiley announced that it had given access to its content for an amount of $23 million to a large technology company. These collaborations highlight the challenges of training artificial intelligences, often based on data collected from the web, which can lead to copyright violations.

A necessary dialogue for the future

For Giada Pistillihead of ethics at Hugging Facethis initiative represents progress, because it makes it possible to monetize the content of books. However, she regrets that the authors do not have more negotiating power. She highlights the importance of a broader dialogue between technology companies, publishers and authors to establish a more balanced framework.

Julien Chouraquilegal director of the French publishing union (SNE), shares this opinion. He considers the agreement between HarperCollins and the AI ​​company to be a positive sign, as it demonstrates dialogue and a desire to achieve a balance between the use of protected data and the creation of value.

The challenges of the press sector

Press publishers are not left out in the face of these challenges. At the end of 2023, the American daily The New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for copyright infringement, while other media outlets have chosen to enter into agreements with the company.

Technology companies must now consider financial solutions to access quality content. Recent reports indicate that new models in development, particularly among Google, Anthropic And OpenAIseem to be reaching their limits in terms of innovation.

A future to build together

The legal issues surrounding the use of data on the internet are complex. According to Julien Chouraqui, it is essential to involve all players in the sector to build a market based on ethical principles. Indeed, the future of publishing and literary creation will depend on the ability of different actors to collaborate and find lasting solutions.

In conclusion, the negotiation of contracts between publishers and AI companies represents a major development in the publishing landscape. This dialogue is essential to protect copyright while allowing authors to benefit from the value generated by their works.