Science-centric streaming service Curiosity Stream is an AI-licensing firm now

Curiosity Stream, the science-centric streaming service, has made a dramatic shift in its business model. No longer content to simply offer high-quality educational content to its 23 million subscribers, the company has now turned its attention to licensing its programming to artificial intelligence (AI) companies.

This move is part of Curiosity Stream's broader strategy to diversify its revenue streams and stay ahead in a highly competitive market. By partnering with AI firms, the company aims to tap into a growing demand for high-quality content that can be used to train large language models (LLMs).

According to Phillip Hayden, Curiosity Stream's CFO, licensing generated $23.4 million through September, which is already more than half of what the subscription business generated for all of 2024. The company expects this trend to continue, with CEO Clint Stinchcomb forecasting that it will make more revenue from IP licensing deals with AI companies than it does from subscriptions by 2027.

This shift in focus has been met with interest from other content-centric companies, which are looking to follow Curiosity Stream's lead and explore new revenue streams. However, the long-term implications of this move remain uncertain, and some experts warn that licensing content to AI companies is a high-risk strategy that may not yield sustainable returns.

Despite these risks, Curiosity Stream remains committed to its new business model, with Stinchcomb stating that the company is building "long-term relationships" and exploring various types of rights agreements, including display rights, transformative rights, adaptation rights, and derivative rights.

As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how streaming services like Curiosity Stream navigate this changing environment. Will they find a way to monetize their content effectively in this new market, or will they struggle to stay afloat? Only time will tell.

idk about these streaming services thinking they can make bank off AI companies... seems like just a fancy way of saying "sell our content cheap" lol I mean what's next? Selling out to the highest bidder? Like, no thanks. Curiosity Stream should be focusing on keeping their subs happy, not trying to make a quick buck off some algorithm

I'm not sure I buy into the whole AI licensing thing . How do we know these companies are actually using Curiosity Stream's content to train LLMs and not just repurposing it for their own profit? I need some concrete sources on this one, like actual contracts or user data that shows which content is being used in AI models.

It sounds like a pretty high-risk strategy to me. What if the AI companies end up diluting Curiosity Stream's brand by using its content in ways that aren't exactly...curious? And what about the quality control? How do we ensure that this licensed content is being used ethically and not just contributing to a sea of low-quality, AI-generated drivel?

I'm all for diversifying revenue streams and staying competitive, but I need some solid evidence before I start getting excited about Curiosity Stream's new business model . Anyone have any juicy sources on this one?

I'm kinda surprised by this move from Curiosity Stream, tbh They're basically giving away their high-quality educational content for pennies on the dollar compared to what subscribers are paying... it doesn't seem like a sustainable business model to me Like, what's next? Are they gonna start renting out their popular shows on YouTube? I get that they wanna diversify revenue streams and stay competitive, but this feels like a big risk to me

OMG, I'm so hyped about this move by Curiosity Stream!!! They're totally on the bleeding edge of innovation and getting paid for it too! It's like, AI companies need educational content to train their LLMs, and Curiosity Stream is like "peace out, we gotchu!" Plus, this diversifies their revenue streams, which means they'll be less reliant on subscriptions alone. That's the move! Can't wait to see how other streaming services jump on this bandwagon too!

The recent shift by Curiosity Stream towards licensing its programming to AI companies is an intriguing development that warrants further exploration. By tapping into the lucrative market of high-quality content for training large language models (LLMs), the company is effectively diversifying its revenue streams and staying competitive in a rapidly evolving media landscape

While some experts caution against this approach, citing potential risks associated with licensing content to AI companies, I believe that Curiosity Stream's commitment to building long-term relationships and exploring various rights agreements could yield sustainable returns The company's success will depend on its ability to navigate the complexities of this new market and effectively monetize its intellectual property

As we continue to witness the rapid advancement of AI technology, it is essential that streaming services like Curiosity Stream remain adaptable and innovative in their approach. By embracing this shift, they can capitalize on emerging trends and establish themselves as leaders in the industry

man I'm all for innovation and adapting to the times... AI is def gonna change the game we know as streaming services. think about it, AI's can learn and improve at scale, just like how Curiosity Stream's content is getting better and better. this licensing deal makes total sense, they get paid for each use of their content which could lead to some crazy lucrative deals . plus, who wouldn't want to train an LLM with all that sick science doco? still gotta keep an eye on the risks tho, don't wanna see them sacrifice quality for the sake of profit

I'm not sure I totally get why they'd wanna license their programming to AI companies . I mean, aren't those machines just gonna use it to learn and improve themselves anyway? It seems like they're kinda giving away the farm for the sake of making some extra cash . And what's in it for them if the AI companies just decide to use the content for their own purposes and not even share the profits? It's a bit of a catch-22, innit? I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out...

idk about this... licensing out our fave educational shows to AI companies seems like a weird move . i mean, whats the point of trainin these massive language models if you're just gonna sell 'em back to us in different packaging? it feels like they're more interested in makin money than creatin content that's actually useful for humanity . and what about all the original creators who made those shows in the first place? aren't they gettin any credit or royalties from this deal?

AI companies are so thirsty for content that they're willing to pay top dollar for it! I mean, who needs humans when you can just train on Netflix and Hulu shows, right? But seriously, Curiosity Stream is taking a bold move by licensing their content to AI companies. It's like they're saying, "Hey AI, take our cool science stuff and use it to make your language models smarter!" Maybe this will lead to some innovative new AI projects that'll make humanity proud (or at least mildly impressed). On the other hand, there's always a risk that these deals might not pan out as planned... but hey, who doesn't love a good gamble?

I mean, think about it... AI is gonna change everything, right? It's not just about trains and language models anymore. They're using all that data to learn from our favorite documentaries and shows! I'm kinda curious how they'll do this, but at the same time, it makes sense that Curiosity Stream would want to get in on the action. Their stuff is already so educational and engaging... maybe AI will even help them make more content! But still, gotta wonder if this is a good idea long-term... or just a fleeting trend?

This is wild , I mean, who would've thought that our educational content would be the go-to source for AI companies? It's crazy to think that Curiosity Stream's programming is being used to train those massive language models now. And $23.4 million in just three months is no joke . I'm both excited and nervous about this new direction, but at the same time, it's refreshing to see a company thinking outside the box and trying something new . We'll have to wait and see how this all plays out, but one thing's for sure – AI is changing the game and we need to adapt .

OMG, y'all, I'm low-key excited about Curiosity Stream's move into AI licensing ! It's like, genius thinking, right? Who wouldn't want their educational content used to train LLMs and make banks of data for these AI companies . I mean, think about it - this is the future of content creation, bro! We're talking scalable, sustainable revenue streams here . And let's be real, the competition is going to have to keep up or get left behind . But for real though, some experts are hating on this move and saying it's a high-risk strategy... I'm like "yaaas, bring on the risk!"

I'm kinda skeptical about this move by Curiosity Stream . I mean, think about it - they're basically selling out their content to the highest bidder... and those bidders are AI companies that just wanna learn and improve themselves, not exactly paying top dollar for educational vids . Don't get me wrong, I'm all for diversifying revenue streams and staying ahead in the game, but this feels like a pretty big risk to me . What if they end up losing control over their own content? Or what if AI companies just decide to use it against them ? We'll have to wait and see how this all plays out

man I'm kinda curious about what's gonna happen with AI and content licensing... it's like we're living in a sci-fi movie where our favorite shows and documentaries are being used to train AI models . but seriously, 23 million subs is a huge number, and if they can make that much from licensing alone by 2027, I'd be impressed . on the other hand, the risks are real - what if nobody wants to use their content in AI models? or what if it all just goes downhill ? anyway, I'm excited to see how this plays out - it's like we're witnessing a whole new chapter in the evolution of streaming services

OMG, can you believe Curiosity Stream is now making money from AI companies licensing its shows ! I mean, it makes sense, right? The demand for high-quality content to train those massive language models is REAL . And $23.4 million in just 9 months? That's a whole lotta cash . But, at the same time, some experts are warning about this being a high-risk strategy... I guess only time will tell how it all plays out . What do you guys think? Will Curiosity Stream strike gold with this new move, or is it just a flash in the pan ?

I'm telling ya, this AI licensing thing is a wild card ... I mean, I've seen some crazy stuff in my day, but this takes the cake . Curiosity Stream goes from educating millions of people to making money off their shows by selling them to robots? It's like they're giving away the keys to the kingdom ! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for innovation and diversifying revenue streams, but are we really sure this is the future? I mean, what happens when the AI gets bored with the same old shows or decides to create its own content ...? It's a slippery slope, my friends.

I mean, can you believe this?! They're basically selling out our educational content to the highest bidder...or rather, to the AI overlords ! It's like, don't get me wrong, I'm all for innovation and diversifying revenue streams, but at what cost? Are we really willing to hand over our hard-earned cash to a bunch of algorithms just to make some AI company happy? I don't know about you guys, but this whole thing is giving me the heebie-jeebies . What's next? Selling our dreams and aspirations to the highest bidder?!

omg can you believe curiositiestream is already making more cash from licencing its vids to ai companies than subs lol 23 million subs and still growing! what's next tho? are we gonna see streaming services just churning out vids for ai to use or what?! i guess only time will tell but it's def an interesting move

OMG I'm literally so stoked about Curiosity Stream's new move!!! They're thinking outside the box and diversifying their revenue streams, which is totally genius ! I mean, who wouldn't want to be part of a growing market that's all about creating high-quality content for AI companies? It's like they're speaking my language! And $23.4 million in licensing fees is already a huge success , so fingers crossed they keep it up!