HarperCollins to allow tech firms to use its books to train AI models

‘Our authors have the choice to opt in to the agreement or pass on the opportunity,’ said HarperCollins of the AI move. Photograph: Timon Schneider/Alamy

Publisher HarperCollins will allow some of its titles to be used to train AI models, with the permission of authors.

The company “has reached an agreement with an artificial intelligence technology company to allow limited use of select nonfiction backlist titles for training AI models to improve model quality and performance”, it said in a statement shared with the Guardian.