Time Magazine, a long-standing publication founded by Henry Luce, is making significant moves in the generative AI space. The magazine has announced partnerships with major AI startups OpenAI and ElevenLabs, showcasing its commitment to embracing new technology and innovation.
In its partnership with OpenAI, Time will provide access to its current and archival content for the AI company to train its models on. In return, Time will receive distribution and exposure through OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which will serve up summaries and reproductions of Time’s content with links back to the source articles. Additionally, Time will gain access to new OpenAI tools and models, enhancing its journalism and business endeavors.
This collaboration marks the eighth public partnership between OpenAI and a major media company, highlighting OpenAI’s growing influence in the media industry. Notably, the New York Times Company is not among the media companies partnering with OpenAI. The New York Times is currently suing OpenAI and Microsoft over alleged copyright infringement, but OpenAI has stated that the lawsuit is “without merit.”
In another AI-related partnership, Time is working with ElevenLabs, a voice cloning and audio AI startup. Time is implementing ElevenLabs’ “Audio Native” player on its website, which automatically narrates written articles using AI-generated voices. This feature has been tested since 2023 and is now available on select articles. ElevenLabs aims to expand Time’s mission of providing access to trusted information by offering a new avenue for engagement with audio.
Time’s embrace of these AI companies demonstrates its confidence in the technology. While previous experiments with NFTs and the Metaverse did not significantly impact Time’s revenue or business health, the partnerships with OpenAI and ElevenLabs are expected to be more fruitful. The audio narration feature provided by ElevenLabs offers immediate utility and cost-effectiveness for Time. On the other hand, these partnerships provide OpenAI and ElevenLabs with access to more content for training their models and validation from established brands like Time.
Overall, Time Magazine’s collaborations with OpenAI and ElevenLabs signify its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the media industry. By leveraging generative AI and audio narration, Time aims to enhance its content delivery and engage with a wider audience. These partnerships have the potential to reshape the future of journalism and news experiences, showcasing the transformative power of AI in the media landscape.