New York Times Licenses Its Content to Amazon

The New York Times announced that it has agreed to license its content to Amazon for use across its AI platforms.

“The deal is consistent with our long-held principle that high-quality journalism is worth paying for,” New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien told employees. “It aligns with our deliberate approach to ensuring that our work is valued appropriately, whether through commercial deals or through the enforcement of our intellectual property rights.”

The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement in December 2023 when it discovered–and proved–that they had each stolen its paywalled content for use in their respective AI platforms. OpenAI bizarrely admitted to the crime, while Microsoft argued it should be able to steal content created by others so it can improve its AI, but the case is still unresolved. A U.S. federal judge refused a motion from both companies attempting to dismiss the case this past March, so there will be a trial unless the two sides reach a settlement.

The Amazon license allows it to use the Times’s editorial content, which includes news articles, opinion pieces, food and recipe content from NYT Cooking, and sports content from The Athletic. Amazon is also allowed to train its AI models using the content, and it will benefit users of Alexa-powered devices and services.

This license marks the first time the publication has allowed its content to be used for generative AI purposes. Financial terms were not disclosed.