LLM “strip mining” content – what can media companies do?
As artificial intelligence companies accelerate the development of Large Language Models (LLMs), trusted content from broadcasters – like that of AIB members – is being used to train these systems, often without compensation or consent. This presents both a significant challenge and a major opportunity for international media companies.
That’s why the next AIB AI Group meeting on 30 June 2025 at 0900 London time will explore how AIB members can benefit from licensing their content to AI companies for LLM training purposes.
The meeting will feature a keynote presentation by Madhav Chinnappa, Advisor to AI licensing company Human Native. With extensive experience at BBC News and Google News, Madhav brings a unique perspective on how content creators can negotiate fair, ethical, and profitable licensing arrangements with AI developers.
This is a critical moment for collaboration across the AIB membership. By working together, AIB members can:
- Develop strategies to protect and monetise content
- Leverage collective bargaining power to negotiate more favourable licensing deals
- Ensure that non-English content – increasingly in demand by AI companies – is properly valued and represented in AI training datasets
To support the discussion, we have prepared a briefing paper for AIB members: “Content Licensing to LLMs – A Winning Strategy Against Strip Mining?”
It provides essential background on:
- How LLMs are trained and the role that media content plays
- The current legal and ethical landscape
- The emerging global market for content licensing
- The unique value that AIB members can bring – especially those producing in languages other than English
AIB member companies from all over the world will be taking part. If your organisation is not involved with the AIB yet, talk to us about how membership can benefit you and your colleagues in the field of AI, as well as cyber security, media freedom, regulatory affairs, sustainability and far more besides.