Google has struck a $60 million deal that will allow it to use Reddit content to train its AI models. Reuters reported on Thursday, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The claim follows a Bloomberg report earlier in the week that said Reddit had signed such an agreement, although at the time, the name of the other party remained unclear.

Training AI models using human-generated content like that found on Reddit is supposed to help chatbots respond in a more natural and conversational way and with relevant and up-to-date information.

The Reuters report comes as artificial intelligence companies look for new ways to use large amounts of online data without upsetting those who own the copyright to it. It also comes as Reddit announced plans for its initial public offering, in which it said it would list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RDDT.

Until now, most AI models that support tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini (formerly Bard) have been trained primarily on content scraped from the web. But the method has alarmed writers, artists, publishers and others as their copyrighted work is used without any form of acknowledgment or, more importantly, financial compensation. Some are taking AI companies to court for copyright infringement, a situation that has prompted AI companies to explore new ways to acquire content, such as deals with sites like Reddit that host vast amounts of useful material.

Reddit’s reported deal with Google echoes Axel Springer’s recent deal to give OpenAI access to the German media giant’s content for AI training — though that approach also has its problems. For example, some have expressed concern that such deals would see the money go straight into the company’s coffers rather than being shared among those creating the content.

A December Wired article raised the issue in relation to the Axel Springer deal, saying it was “completely unclear whether individual journalists will see any of this money. When asked if journalists will benefit from any revenue sharing or additional compensation as a result of the licensing agreement, Axel Springer did not directly answer the question… So, as of now, it is unclear whether an author whose work is integrated into ChatGPT will receive a one-time payment, a recurring royalty-like payment, or no payment at all.

Reddit and Google released announcements Thursday outlining a move toward closer cooperation in various areas, though neither directly mentioned the recently reported deal or its value.

said Google Reddit featured “an incredible range of authentic, human conversations and experiences” while Reddit commented that its partnership with Google “will make it easier for people to find, discover and participate in content and communities on Reddit that are most relevant to them.”

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