YouTubers and other digital content creators are selling their unused video footage to artificial intelligence companies seeking exclusive videos to better train their AI algorithms, often netting thousands of US dollars per deal.
OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google, Moonvalley and several other AI companies are collectively paying hundreds of content creators for access to their unpublished videos, according to people familiar with the negotiations.
That content, which has not been posted elsewhere online, is considered valuable for training artificial intelligence systems since it is unique.
AI companies are currently paying between US$1 (HK$8) and US$4 per minute of footage, the people say, with prices increasing depending on video quality or format.
Videos shot in 4K, for example, go for a higher price, as does non-traditional footage such as videos captured by drones or using 3D animations.