According to Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. is “completely focused” on “both the opportunities and challenges” brought about by the advancement of advanced artificial intelligence tools.
During News Corp’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, Murdoch, now serving as president professor, disclosed that discussions are ongoing regarding providing original material to businesses developing conceptual AI tools.
Murdoch highlighted that the company’s digital expansion has facilitated the wider dissemination of news, analysis, literature, and real estate insights, which are poised to grow further in the era of relational AI.
Furthermore, Murdoch emphasized News Corp.’s dedication to ensuring that AI entities compensate news outlets for their content. A recent study from Columbia University suggested that major players like Google and Meta should collectively pay news organizations over $14 billion annually, factoring in revenue from search advertisements.
In his statements, Murdoch underscored News Corp.’s proactive stance in advocating for the value of their original content to AI providers, engaging in constructive negotiations with key partners.
CEO Robert Thomson echoed Murdoch’s sentiments, noting the company’s decade-long advocacy for fair compensation from major digital platforms and its current discussions amidst the rise of Generative AI.
Recent developments saw Rupert Murdoch appointed as president professor within News Corp., coinciding with discussions on the surge of Generative AI led by Thomson and Murdoch.
Thomson expressed confidence in the prudent leadership at major AI firms, assuring that Generative AI’s evolution should not stifle creativity through content recomposition.
As AI tools gain prominence, major tech giants like Meta and Google face increasing pressure to remunerate news publishers for their content. Legislative actions in countries like Australia, which mandated negotiations between tech firms and content creators, signal a shifting landscape.
News Corp. is actively exploring opportunities to provide original content to emerging conceptual AI entities, as exemplified by a recent agreement with Google involving material exchange for substantial commitments.
However, challenges persist as tech companies resist similar legislative initiatives, citing concerns over intellectual property rights and fair compensation frameworks.
Thomson raised alarms over bias in AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, cautioning against the potential negative impact on news integrity. He warned that the indiscriminate use of news content to train AI models could jeopardize the authenticity and reliability of journalistic endeavors.
