# Data monetization examples: who is licensing data to AI

> Real data monetization examples from public AI licensing deals, what buyers paid for, and what a mid-size company can learn from them.

Canonical: https://origindatapartners.com/blog/data-monetization-examples
By: Origin Data Partners
Status: Published
Published: 2026-10-19
Updated: 2026-10-19
Sources checked: 2026-10-19

## Quick answer

Data monetization means earning money from data a company already holds. Indirect monetization uses it internally; direct monetization sells or licenses it to someone else. Since 2023 the fastest growing direct form is licensing to AI developers: News Corp, Reddit, Shutterstock and Wiley have all reported eight or nine figure deals, and in 2026 a bankrupt airline's internal emails and chats drew a $10 million bid.

## Key points

- Buyers pay for data they cannot scrape: archives, discussions, expert work and internal operational records.
- Clear rights and structure matter as much as volume.
- A mid-size company will not see a headline-sized check; the first question is whether a dataset is worth preparing at all.

## Direct and indirect data monetization.

Indirect monetization uses data inside the business to cut costs, price better or sell more. [Direct monetization](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/b2b-data-monetization) sells or licenses the data to an outside party. This article is about the direct kind, and specifically licensing to AI developers, because that is where the public examples of the last three years come from.


## Public AI data licensing deals.

Most buyers do not confirm terms. The values below are as reported by the cited outlets. For every deal we track, with sources and a CSV, see the [AI data licensing deals tracker](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/ai-data-licensing-deals).

| Seller | What was licensed | Reported value | Reported by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| News Corp | News archive and current reporting | More than $250M over five years | Wall Street Journal, May 2024 |
| Reddit | User discussions through data access | About $60M a year from one buyer; $203M aggregate contract value disclosed | Reuters, Feb 2024; Reddit IPO filing |
| Shutterstock | Images, video and metadata | $104M of AI licensing revenue in 2023 | Bloomberg, June 2024 |
| Wiley | Academic and professional books | $23M one-time deal; about $44M of AI rights revenue expected for the year | The Bookseller, 2024 |
| Taylor & Francis | Academic content | $10M initial agreement | Quartz, citing Inside Higher Ed |
| A bankrupt airline | Internal emails and chat records | $10M bid in a bankruptcy asset sale | Axios, Aug 2026 |


## What the examples have in common.

- The data is hard to get elsewhere. None of it was available on the open web in a usable, licensed form.
- It shows how real people do real work. Discussions, expert writing, curated images and, in the airline case, internal operational communication. Buyers want reasoning and process, not just facts.
- Rights are clear. Each seller could show it had the right to license what it sold. Unclear rights stop more deals than price does.
- It comes with structure. Archives with dates, categories and metadata are worth more than undifferentiated exports.


## What this means for a mid-size company.

Most headline deals are publishers and platforms. The airline example matters more for an ordinary business: it shows buyers will pay for operational records, not only for published content.

A company with 25 to 500 employees will not see a $60 million check. Value depends on volume, distinctiveness, structure and rights, and for most mid-size companies the realistic question is whether a dataset is worth preparing at all. The [company data value guide](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/company-data-value) explains what moves price.

- Support tickets and resolutions: a customer problem, the diagnosis and the fix. See [licensing support tickets for AI](https://origindatapartners.com/blog/license-support-tickets-for-ai).
- Job and service histories: field service notes, inspection reports and repair records.
- Procedures and training material: how your team actually does the work.
- Estimates and outcomes: quotes, win or loss, and what the job really cost.


## Before you try to monetize data.

The [guide to licensing company data](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/license-company-data) walks through each step. A first conversation can stay at company level; no records need to leave your systems to find out whether a review makes sense.

- Inventory it. One category, one system, one date range at a time. The [data inventory template](https://origindatapartners.com/blog/company-data-inventory-template) helps.
- Check rights. Customer contracts, privacy notices and employee agreements may restrict use.
- Remove what should not leave. Personal data, credentials and third parties' confidential information.
- Decide the model. A one-time license, recurring access, or not at all.


## Questions and answers

### What is an example of direct data monetization?

Licensing an archive of records to an AI developer for training is direct monetization. Using the same records internally to improve service is indirect.

### Can a small business sell its data?

Sometimes. It depends on whether the data is distinctive, structured and legally licensable. Many small datasets are not worth the preparation cost on their own.

### Is selling customer data legal?

It depends on jurisdiction, contracts and what the data contains. Personal data is heavily restricted. Get legal advice before licensing anything that involves customers or employees.

## Sources

- [Reuters via WION: OpenAI and News Corp licensing deal (May 2024)](https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/openai-secures-major-content-deal-with-news-corp-724479)
- [Quartz: AI training data pricing and licensing deals](https://qz.com/ai-training-data-pricing-licensing-deals-market-052126)
- [Bloomberg Law: Shutterstock AI licensing generated $104 million (June 2024)](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/shutterstocks-ai-licensing-business-generated-104-million)
- [The Bookseller: Wiley set to earn $44m from AI rights deals](https://www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-set-to-earn-44m-from-ai-rights-deals)
- [Axios: airline data sold in bankruptcy (Aug 2026)](https://www.axios.com/2026/08/17/google-spirit-airlines-bankruptcy)

## Related reading

- [How much do AI companies pay for company data?](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/company-data-value)
- [How to sell or license company data to AI companies](https://origindatapartners.com/guides/license-company-data)
- [/blog/license-support-tickets-for-ai](https://origindatapartners.com/blog/license-support-tickets-for-ai)