• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, May 16, 2024

OpenAI is partnering with Reddit to bring its content to ChatGPT and new products, but the deal also means OpenAI committed to being a Reddit advertising partner, the companies said Thursday.

Few details were available to explain how this advertising partnership will work. One can only assume from the statement that OpenAI will advertise on the Reddit platform, but the ideal situation would be that the AI company would become a consultant to Reddit for increasingly sophisticated AI ad options.

"Reddit has become one of the internet's largest open archives of authentic, relevant, and always up to date human conversations about anything and everything," stated Steve Huffman, Reddit co-founder and CEO. "Including it in ChatGPT upholds our belief in a connected internet, helps people find more or what they're looking for, and helps new audiences find community on Reddit.

This partnership lets Reddit bring AI-powered features to redditors and mods. Reddit will build on OpenAI’s platform of AI models to bring its powerful vision to life, the companies wrote in a blog post.

OpenAI will bring enhanced Reddit content to ChatGPT and new products, helping users discover and engage with Reddit communities. The company said it will access Reddit's Data API, which provides real-time, structured, and unique content from Reddit. This will enable its AI tools to better understand and showcase Reddit content, especially on recent topics.

Since Reddit went through its initial public offering, it's of note to mention that Sam Altman, OpenAI co-founder and CEO, is among the largest Reddit shareholder, with an 8.7% stake.

AI-related companies have been rushing to secure data deals to train models. Google reportedly agreed to pay News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, up to $6 million annually to develop new AI-related content and products. Earlier this month OpenAI announced a deal with IAC's Dotdash Meredith, which owns People, Food & Wine and other publications.