I read a lot of news. Too much sometimes. I’ve noticed that a lot of news is one publication taking news from another publication and they either add some different context or reword the source a bit — but it’s effectively the same thing. You’ll notice it below as I reference the primary source, NYT, and then reference a secondary source, The Verge, because they add better references, but it’s the same story. 2024 is an election year and the news will be unbearable. I can already see it. What source will you trust? Who will you follow? What will you think? It’s also AI’s first election. How (scary) exciting.
Apple’s Making Deals
Last week, it was reported that Apple has been putting together deals with major news and publishing organizations, looking to use their material in the company’s development of generative artificial intelligence systems. This confirms two things: That Apple is definitely working on their own AI stuff, even if they’ve been radio silent about it, and that they’re making sure to learn from the mistakes of early players like OpenAI who have had issues arise from their use of content without proper permissions.
The technology giant has floated multiyear deals worth at least $50 million to license the archives of news articles, said the people with knowledge of talks, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. The news organizations contacted by Apple include Condé Nast, publisher of Vogue and The New Yorker; NBC News; and IAC, which owns People, The Daily Beast and Better Homes and Gardens. - Apple Explores A.I. Deals With News Publishers, NYT
This also lines up with deals of the same nature made by other AI players:
Apple wouldn’t be the first to partner with news organizations on its AI efforts; OpenAI has signed deals with the Associated Press and Politico parent company Axel Springer to use their stories to help train its AI models. And Google has said it’s working on AI-powered tools to assist journalists. - Apple reportedly wants to use the news to help train its AI models, The Verge
The deals are indicative of a coming change. It’s practically guaranteed at this point. I think there’s no value in resistance, and the focus should instead be on the flow of funds: who’s getting paid? And more importantly, how do I get paid?
Back to Basics
It’s the same idea each time. AI will do the boring work so we can do more of the fun stuff. I used to spend hours doing research, reading through articles, and gathering my sources for each post. Now it takes me 2-3 hours max, and most of that time is spent organizing my thoughts instead of gathering all the data because now that’s done for me. Sometimes, when there’s a point I want to make but I can’t really flesh out the full idea, I just ask ChatGPT (Chat). For this post, I asked: What is Journalism? followed by What role can AI play in journalism? Those two prompts generated enough relevant content to make my point.
Chat says journalism is the act of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. So where is the value? For gathering, AI can be used to automatically generate news reports, especially for data-intensive stories like sports results, financial updates, or election results. This automation can save time and resources, allowing human journalists to focus on more complex and investigative reporting (the fun stuff?). For assessing, AI can assist journalists in fact-checking and researching by quickly scanning through large volumes of information to verify facts, dates, quotes, and other data, thus increasing the accuracy of reporting. As for creating and presenting news, AI can enable innovative storytelling techniques, such as interactive articles, personalized narratives, and augmented reality experiences. Shall I go on?
The more research I do and the more I use these AI tools, the more I disagree with the resistance. If anything, what they’re fighting for is exclusivity. Suddenly anyone can be a writer, a journalist, or a reporter, and that’s the issue. Just look at their complaints:
Four Business Insider employees told WIRED that they found out about the AI deal at the same time it was announced publicly. PEN Guild, the US union which represents around 280 workers at Politico and E&E News, another Axel Springer publication, says it was “not consulted or informed about the decision to have robots summarize our work.” - Journalists Had 'No Idea' About OpenAI's Deal to Use Their Stories, Wired
But I get it. Oddly enough, so does Substack:
To many, this revolution might feel like the super-expression of a trend that has been commoditizing the work of writers and artists for decades. First, Google and Facebook broke the business models that once supported their work. Then social media turned everyone into content drones. Now here come the mega-robots to vaporize everything writers ever stood for. And of course the techies will make billions, while writers will get less than scraps. - The AI revolution is an opportunity for writers (the human kind), On Substack
However, the truth is if you write for a publication, you don’t really own your work. In fact, in most cases, you don’t own any of it. Hence the company can do whatever they want with your content because it is now theirs. The solution? Be independent. That’s why Substack is popular, X (Twitter) is still relevant, and competitors are rising like Beehiiv, a newsletter platform, that raised $12.5M back in June. As for how to get paid? The answer might lie in music.
Spotify Streams of Consciousness
Whether those types of arrangements will be a net good is another matter of debate. If individual writers are compensated for licensing agreements, the actual dollar amount may be so miniscule, it wouldn’t meaningfully impact their finances. “We know from artist compensation programs on other platforms, such as Spotify, that most artists receive very little, and only a small proportion of the most popular creators may receive more substantive payments,” says Nick Diakopoulos, a computational journalism professor at Northwestern University. - Journalists Had 'No Idea' About OpenAI's Deal to Use Their Stories, Wired
Similar to how streaming democratized music distribution, allowing anyone to upload their work for a chance at discovery, the same is happening with writing. So how do music artists make money today and how can that strategy be used in writing? I asked ChatGPT:
Live Events and Personal Appearances:
Author Tours and Speaking Engagements: Similar to musicians, authors can capitalize on live events such as book tours, readings, and speaking engagements. These events can be ticketed and offer an opportunity for direct interaction with fans.
Workshops and Masterclasses: Authors might host writing workshops or masterclasses, providing personalized guidance and insights into their writing process, which can be a significant source of income.
Merchandising and Physical Products:
Limited Editions and Collectibles: Writers can offer signed copies, limited edition prints, or special editions with extra content. This strategy mirrors the music industry's approach to vinyl records or deluxe editions.
Themed Merchandise: Authors could create merchandise related to their books, such as apparel, artwork, or other themed products, catering to devoted fans.
Subscription Models and Patronage:
Exclusive Content Subscriptions: Platforms like Patreon or Substack allow writers to offer exclusive content to subscribers, such as early access to chapters, bonus material, or behind-the-scenes insights.
Crowdfunding for Projects: Similar to funding an album or tour, authors might use platforms like Kickstarter to fund book projects, offering backers special rewards or acknowledgments.
Digital and Interactive Content:
Enhanced E-books and Interactive Stories: The digital format offers possibilities like enhanced e-books with interactive elements, which could provide a more immersive reading experience.
Serialized Content: Releasing stories in a serialized format online can build an audience over time, much like episodic content in other media.
Leveraging AI and Technology:
AI-assisted Writing: Authors can use AI for various aspects of writing, from idea generation to editing, potentially increasing their productivity and creative possibilities.
Audiobooks and Voice Technologies: With the rise of audiobooks, authors might explore unique ways of storytelling through voice, potentially creating audio-exclusive content.
Virtual and Augmented Reality Experiences: VR and AR could offer new ways to experience stories, allowing authors to create immersive worlds for their readers.
Now, I don’t know about you but there are some good ideas here. Live events, collectibles, and patronage are already quite popular, but it’s the expansion of the written world that I find exciting. I have a Sci-Fi book idea that explores the realities of immortality which involves politics, consumerism, and maybe a love story. However, I am no longer limited to just the book format. I can repackage this world as an audio experience, a series, a film, a game, etc. What used to take decades of world-building is suddenly shortened to a few years, maybe less.
The thing about generative AI is that there’s still someone generating the content, except now it’s a prompt that places the writers at the center of it all. Corporate executives will try to bypass the writers at first, but their focus on what they think people like will get lost in a sea of endless content generated by other suits trying to do the same. We already see this on social media with corporate brands losing relevancy with their mediocre content. Also, consumers aren’t as stupid as they think they are. Instead, we see weird shit like the Grimmace Shake go viral because it comes from actual creatives.
It reminds me of an episode of Mad Men, where Peggy, fresh on the job, tells Don that “Sex sells”. In response, Don says:
Says who? Just so you know, the people who talk that way think that monkeys can do this. They take all this monkey crap and stick it in a briefcase, completely unaware that their success depends on something more than shoeshine. You are the product. You feeling something. That’s what sells. - Don Draper, S2E1
The winning line: What did you bring me daddy?
Thank you
I’m gonna be out of the country and essentially off the grid for a couple of days. The time spent offline will be spent thinking about what I will be doing online in the new year (and some vacation of course). I started publishing more consistently in June and plan to continue with other side projects that are yet to be announced. Expect more long-form writing in the form of Essays, and maybe excerpts from the book I referenced above (ambitious but doable). If you’ve been with me from the start, thank you, you’re a real one. If you like what you’re reading, tell a friend or two. And if you have ideas or want to work together, you know where to find me. As always, if you have any questions, want more explanations, or strongly disagree, comment below, follow me on Twitter (X), follow me on Threads, follow me on TikTok, or shoot me an email. Oh, and Happy New Year.
Disclaimer: These views are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization with which I am affiliated with.