Deal explainer
HarperCollins' AI book-licensing deal with Microsoft
Quick answer
In November 2024, Bloomberg identified Microsoft as the AI company behind a three-year deal with HarperCollins to license select nonfiction backlist titles for training an unannounced AI model. Authors had to individually opt in, and reporting indicated each author was offered around $2,500 per book, split with the publisher.
What was reported#
- 404 Media first reported the unnamed three-year AI training deal on November 18, 2024; Bloomberg identified Microsoft as the partner the next day.
- HarperCollins said the deal covers 'select nonfiction backlist titles' and requires authors to individually opt in.
- Author Daniel Kibblesmith posted screenshots showing he was offered $2,500 per book for a three-year license.
- eMarketer reported the deal pays $5,000 per book title, split evenly between author and HarperCollins.
- A source told Bloomberg that Microsoft does not intend to generate new AI-written books from the licensed content.
- Output from the trained model is reported to be limited to no more than 200 consecutive words or 5% of a book's text.
Related deals
SourceX was not a party to these deals. This tracker summarizes public reporting so businesses can see how AI data licensing is developing.
Sources
Public sources, checked 2026-10-09. SourceX is not affiliated with the organizations named.
- Bloomberg: Microsoft Signs AI-Learning Deal With News Corp.'s HarperCollins bloomberg.com
- The Guardian: HarperCollins to allow tech firms to use its books to train AI models theguardian.com
- eMarketer: Microsoft and HarperCollins sign AI licensing deal emarketer.com
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