Informa, a UK-based multinational company, recently signed a deal with Microsoft that grants the tech giant access to advanced learning content and data. As Informa is the parent company of Taylor & Francis, which publishes academic and technical books and journals, it is likely that the data includes the content from these publications. However, reports indicate that the authors of this content were not informed or consulted about the deal and will not receive any compensation from it.
This situation is not unique, as various content creators, including newspapers, visual artists, and record labels, have already taken legal action against AI companies for using their work without permission. While it remains uncertain how Informa will respond to the backlash, this serves as a reminder for authors to carefully review the terms of their publishing agreements.
Informa’s deal with Microsoft focuses on four areas: increasing productivity, developing an automated citation tool, creating AI-powered research assistant software, and providing data access to improve AI systems. Informa will receive over £8 million initially and recurring payments for the next three years.
The exact purpose of Microsoft’s data access is unclear, but it is likely that the content will be used to train generative AI models like ChatGPT. While this could enhance the accuracy of AI systems, existing models have faced criticism for plagiarism and spreading false information. The update states that the agreement protects intellectual property rights and emphasizes the importance of detailed citation references.
Scholarly publishing typically does not involve monetary compensation for authors. Instead, it is seen as part of their job responsibilities and contributes to their credibility and research promotion. Authors submit their articles to journals for peer review, and if accepted, they sign publishing agreements that cover publication logistics, royalties (if applicable), copyright, and ownership. These agreements often grant exclusive rights to publishers and may allow sub-licensing to third parties like AI companies.
Authors should carefully consider the implications of licensing and assignment when signing publishing contracts. They should also examine publishers’ AI policies, especially as more agreements are being made with AI companies. In the US, a collective licensing solution has been introduced to address content use in internal AI systems, and similar licenses may soon enter the Australian market.
The agreements between academic publishers and AI companies have raised concerns about the future of scholarly research and its role in AI knowledge mining. The ethical and moral implications of these practices remain uncertain.
