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Can your company license operating data for AI?

Understand the opportunity, identify relevant company records and prepare for an informed licensing discussion.

Reviewed 18 October 2026

Start with a business process you can explain from beginning to end. An archive becomes more useful when it preserves the relationship between the original problem, the information available, the work performed and the result.

Describe the work before counting the files

Make a short inventory of the systems your team uses. For each one, note which function it supports, how far the records go back and whether those records link to work in another system. A support request may connect to an engineering issue, a release and a final customer response.

Identify who can approve the discussion

The first conversation should involve a person authorised to speak for the company. They should know who else needs to review a proposed licence, including anyone responsible for contractual rights, privacy and information security.

At this stage, prepare a description of the records. Keep documents and system access within your company until the recipient, scope and permissions are agreed.

Questions to take into the first call

• What work is the buyer trying to train or evaluate?
• Which records are useful together, and which are unnecessary?
• What can the buyer do with the material and for how long?
• Who handles preparation, review and delivery?
• What is the payment trigger, and what happens if some material is rejected?

Compare proposed terms with the effort required from your team. A useful opportunity should have a clear scope, an accountable buyer and a payment arrangement the company understands.