As AI becomes more prevalent in the media space, SB Nation’s parent company is making a move.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Vox Media has reached an agreement with OpenAI, which will see articles from the publisher’s websites — including SB Nation — “receive brand attribution and audience referrals within ChatGPT,” with its archives helping to “enhance” ChatGPT’s technology. Conversely, Vox Media outlets will use OpenAI to “enhance its searchable gift guide from The Strategist and use it as part of its first-party data ad platform, among other uses.”
In addition to SB Nation, Vox Media’s portfolio includes Vox, The Verge, Eater, New York Magazine, The Cut and Vulture.
“As the media and technology landscapes change, it’s vital that accurate, trustworthy information reaches the public, and this partnership recognizes that human creativity and quality journalism are a key part of responsible deployment of generative AI,” Pam Wasserstein, president of Vox Media, said in a statement.
Along with its agreement with Vox Media, OpenAI also announced a deal with The Atlantic, whose articles will be will be searchable within ChatGPT. As a part of the deal, The Atlantic will launch a microsite, Atlantic Labs, which, according to a statement from the publisher, will be used to “figure out how AI can help in the development of new products and features to better serve its journalism and readers––and will pilot OpenAI’s and other emerging tech in this work.”
As far as SB Nation is concerned, it will be interesting to see how much the agreement will affect the experience for readers, with the “among other uses” part looming large. The natural question is whether to longtime sports blog network will use AI to create content, which Sports Illustrated came under fire for last fall.
The first five months of 2024 have seen plenty of changes at SB Nation, including the departure of publisher Jermaine Spradley, the selling of Outsports and the sudden closure of its podcast network. While it may not have the same size or reach that it did just a few years ago, SB Nation still possesses some of the internet’s most notable sports blogs and it will certainly be worth monitoring what this new chapter brings for the network.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.