Wikipedia unveils new AI licensing deals as it marks 25th birthday :: WRAL.com

Source Domain: www.wral.com

Wikipedia celebrated its 25th anniversary by announcing new licensing deals with major AI companies including Amazon, Meta Platforms, Perplexity, Microsoft, and Mistral AI.
The deals aim to monetize the heavy traffic Wikipedia receives from AI companies, which access its content at significant volume and speed tailored to their needs.
There is growing concern over aggressive data collection practices by AI companies, including from Wikipedia’s content, raising questions about who funds the AI boom.
Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales expressed support for AI training on Wikipedia’s curated content, despite legal battles over copyright and ethical concerns elsewhere.
The Wikimedia Foundation has urged AI developers to pay for access through its enterprise platform, noting an 8% decline in human traffic and a rise in bot traffic, which taxes its servers.
Wikipedia remains wary of potential threats, such as Elon Musk’s AI-based rival project, Grokipedia, despite its own expansive database, citing the limitations of large language models for high-quality reference material.
The organization believes its extensive and curated content remains superior, while also exploring how AI can benefit editors and users by automating certain tasks and enhancing the search experience.
Wikipedia continues to face criticism, particularly from the political right, who accuse it of bias, alongside investigations into manipulation efforts in its editorial process.

You may have missed