Stack Overflow joins Reddit and Twitter in charging AI companies for training data

The financial demands on companies specializing in artificial intelligence are on the rise, with Stack Overflow now joining the ranks of Reddit and Twitter in planning to charge AI firms for using its data in training their models. AI technologies, such as those powering ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Bing Chat, depend heavily on vast datasets for their training. Companies like OpenAI and Google scour the internet to amass data that helps train their large language models (LLM). These models are fine-tuned on numerous parameters to enhance their ability to process natural language effectively. Also: This new technology could blow away GPT-4 and everything like it The training data encompasses a wide range of topics, from global history to software development, which contributes to the AI's "intelligence." It also includes grammar, conversational nuances, and various styles, enabling the AI to produce responses that mimic human communication. According to a report from Wired, Stack Overflow is set to start charging AI companies this summer for access to its extensive database of over 50 million questions and answers, which is used for training AI projects. Stack Overflow serves as a vital hub for programmers, offering a collaborative space where its community, primarily developers, can seek solutions to coding issues and learn about various programming languages. With over 20 million users, it's a go-to resource for anyone in the software development field. Also: The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT and alternatives to try In a recent post on the company's website, Stack Overflow's CEO, Prashanth Chandrasekar, voiced concerns about the implications of allowing AI models to train on the wealth of data contributed by developers without reciprocating by sharing the insights gained from those models publicly. He warned that such a practice could result in a "tragedy of the commons." The platform hit the headlines last fall when it banned the use of text generated by ChatGPT for creating posts, citing the potential harm to the site and its community. In a separate statement, Chandrasekar emphasized the importance of contributing knowledge back to a public platform. He cautioned that without this, we might end up in a scenario where knowledge becomes centralized within AI models, accessible only through paid services.

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