Oxford Bodleian Library Material Used for OpenAI Training

The University of Oxford has allowed OpenAI to use digitized material from the Bodleian Library in AI model training, according to internal university documents. Oxford announced its partnership with OpenAI in March 2025 as a project to digitize historical texts for students and researchers, but the public announcement did not state that the material would populate OpenAI training data. Meeting minutes obtained through a freedom of information request record concerns among university staff about reputational risk and the environmental impact of energy-intensive AI. By June 2025, 125,000 images scanned from historical dissertations had reportedly been shared, alongside other rare materials. OpenAI said the project helps preserve historical knowledge and broaden the cultures, histories and perspectives represented in modern AI systems.

The Guardian, Ethan Penny and Dan Milmo – Oxford lets OpenAI train its AI models on Bodleian Library – 26th September 2026