An exclusive data license gives one licensee the sole right to use a dataset for the licensed purpose, so the owner cannot license the same data to anyone else for that purpose during the term. Exclusivity can be full, or limited by use, field, territory or time.
Why it matters when licensing company data
Buyers pay more for exclusivity because competitors cannot train on the same records. The owner gives up the option of licensing the data again, so the premium should cover what later non-exclusive deals might have paid.
Narrow exclusivity (for example, exclusive for training only, or for 12 months) often keeps most of the premium while preserving later deals. See exclusive vs non-exclusive data licenses.
Source
Cornell Law School LII: exclusive license. Definition reviewed November 7, 2026 by Origin Data Partners.