Wikimedia Foundation Strikes AI Deals with Tech Giants on 25th Birthday

The Wikimedia Foundation announced a set of new partnerships with big tech companies on Thursday, its 25th birthday. These deals let firms like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Perplexity, Mistral AI, and others use Wikipedia and related content at a large scale through a product called Wikimedia Enterprise. The move comes as the site handles more traffic from AI systems and seeks steady funding to keep its free knowledge available to everyone.

Background

Wikipedia launched in January 2001 as a free online encyclopedia edited by volunteers. Over 25 years, it has grown into one of the world's top websites, with people viewing nearly 15 billion pages each month across more than 300 languages and 65 million articles. The site runs on donations from readers and relies on a global network of volunteer editors who add and check facts.

In recent years, AI companies have turned to Wikipedia for training their models. These systems scrape the site heavily, which strains servers and increases costs. Founder Jimmy Wales has said companies that use Wikipedia data on a big scale should help cover those expenses. To address this, the foundation created Wikimedia Enterprise a few years ago. This service offers structured access to content for businesses, at speeds and volumes suited to their needs, in exchange for payment.

The first major deal came with Google in 2022. Since then, more companies have signed on. The foundation now counts over a dozen partners, including search engine Ecosia, AI firms like Pleias, ProRata, and Nomic, and media outfit Reef Media. These agreements help fund upgrades to the site's technology and support for its community of editors.

The 25th birthday timing highlights how Wikipedia stays relevant in an AI-driven world. The foundation points out that human-edited knowledge remains key, even as machines pull from it. Volunteers still do the core work of writing and verifying entries, ensuring accuracy and neutrality.

Key Details

Wikimedia Enterprise generated $8.3 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2024-2025, up 148% from the year before. That money makes up about 4% of the foundation's total income. Most of the budget, around $92.8 million or nearly half, goes to infrastructure like servers and data systems. Another $32.8 million supports community programs, such as tools for editors.

The new partners get low-latency access to Wikipedia dumps—full copies of the site's content—updated frequently. This setup avoids the problems of scraping, where bots overload the site. Deals require partners to follow rules, like giving credit to Wikipedia when using its data in AI outputs.

Birthday Celebrations and Other Updates

Alongside the announcements, the foundation kicked off a 'Wikipedia 25' campaign. It includes a video series profiling eight volunteer editors from places like Sweden and India. One editor, Dr. Netha Hussain, a doctor who moved from India to Sweden, worked on COVID-19 medical pages.

They also released a digital time capsule looking back at Wikipedia's history. It covers big moments, such as the traffic surge after Michael Jackson's death in 2009, and includes comments from Jimmy Wales on the early days. A live event streamed at 4 PM UTC on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram featured guests, games, and talks.

Other news includes tech upgrades, like better search tools and experiments with games and short videos. The foundation is building AI tools to help editors with routine tasks, not replace them. This fits their goal of keeping human input central.

Leadership is changing too. CEO Maryana Iskander steps down January 20, with Bernadette Meehan taking over.

“Access to high-quality, trustworthy information is at the heart of how we think about the future of AI at Microsoft. Our partnership with Wikimedia helps ensure that people, and the agents working on their behalf, can draw on knowledge they understand and trust. Together, we’re helping create a sustainable content ecosystem for the AI internet, where contributors are valued, communities are respected, and responsible AI expands opportunity for everyone.” — Microsoft representative

“Wikipedia shows that knowledge is human, and knowledge needs humans. Especially now, in the age of AI, we need the human-powered knowledge of Wikipedia more than ever,” — Selena Deckelmann, Wikimedia Foundation’s Chief Product and Technology Officer.

What This Means

These partnerships give Wikipedia a reliable income stream beyond yearly donation drives. AI firms need high-quality data to build reliable chatbots and search tools, and Wikipedia fits perfectly due to its depth and verification process. By paying for access, companies ease the load on the site's free resources while getting content tailored for their systems.

For the foundation, the money funds growth. It covers rising costs from AI traffic, which has changed how people find Wikipedia—fewer direct clicks from search engines, more indirect use via AI summaries. The deals set a model for other open projects facing similar issues.

Tech companies gain from verified data, reducing errors in their outputs. Rules on attribution keep Wikipedia visible, drawing more editors and users. Jimmy Wales supports AI training on the site but stresses fair payment for heavy users.

Looking ahead, more firms may join as AI grows. The foundation plans to expand Enterprise services and invest in tools that blend AI assistance with volunteer work. This balance aims to keep Wikipedia free, open, and thriving for another 25 years. Challenges remain, like ensuring deals do not sway editorial choices and handling global data laws. Still, the path supports the mission of sharing knowledge without barriers.