OpenAI Teams Up With Reddit: Bringing Content to ChatGPT and New AI Products

OpenAI has partnered with Reddit to integrate its content into ChatGPT and other new AI products.

The partnership will also allow Reddit to introduce AI-powered features to its platform.

OpenAI and Reddit have formed a partnership that grants OpenAI access to Reddit's real-time data for ChatGPT and any future AI products. In return, Reddit will utilize OpenAI's technology to integrate AI-powered features into its platform. Additionally, OpenAI will advertise on Reddit, mirroring a similar deal Reddit struck with Google earlier this year, reportedly valued at $60 million annually.

The details of the partnership were outlined in a blog post by Reddit, although financial terms were not disclosed. OpenAI will utilize Reddit's Data API to extract real-time content for use in ChatGPT and upcoming products. It's unclear whether the data will be utilized for training AI models or as query results. Meanwhile, Reddit will leverage OpenAI's AI models to develop new features for users and moderators.

OpenAI's announcement post notably disclosed that company CEO Sam Altman is a shareholder in Reddit. However, the partnership deal was spearheaded by COO Brad Lightcap and received approval from OpenAI's independent Board of Directors. It's worth mentioning that SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filings for Reddit indicate that Altman is the third largest shareholder of the company.

Last year, Reddit faced backlash from its community when it announced plans to charge for its API, which had been free since the company's inception. This decision was met with resistance as many third-party apps relying on the API couldn't afford the fees, leading to several subreddits going private in protest. Despite the pushback, Reddit stood by its decision. Fast forward to the present, and the API has transitioned into a commercial tool, already being licensed to Google and OpenAI. Notably, Reddit went public in March 2024.