Tech companies increasingly seek what archives hold—rich media collections to train their multimodal and large language models. Many archives have already had their online collections scraped without permission and are now facing offers from companies eager to secure further access.
To support archives navigating these pressures, the Strategic Engagement Working Group is developing decision-making rubrics to help institutions assess collaboration opportunities with tech companies. These tools are designed to guide archives in weighing whether such deals represent sustainable business opportunities that strengthen their futures—or risky bargains that could compromise their long-term best interests.