WIKIPEDIA
Wikipedia wants a new deal with AI
Wikipedia has shared new guidance to help protect its role as AI tools grow and fewer people visit the site.
The Wikimedia Foundation is asking AI companies to credit Wikipedia properly and to use its content through the paid Wikimedia Enterprise service, which lets organisations access data at scale without putting pressure on its servers.
The paid model also helps fund its non-profit work.
Recently, the Foundation spotted a rise in traffic from AI bots pretending to be human.
In brief:
AI companies should credit Wikipedia and use its paid Enterprise tool.
Bots caused a traffic spike; real visits fell 8% YoY.
Wikipedia plans to use AI to assist editors, not replace them.
Credit the site, babes
After tightening its systems, it found that real human page views were actually down 8% year on year.
Wikimedia says attribution is important because volunteers create the content that powers Wikipedia.
If fewer people visit the site, there may be fewer volunteers and fewer donations to support it.
Earlier in 2024, Wikipedia shared plans to use AI to support tasks like translation and admin work, not to replace editors.
Wikipedia is like the old gramps of the internet - we must protect him! - MV