AI data guides
These guides explain how AI training data is priced, bought, sold and auctioned. Start with what an AI data auction is, then pick the path that matches your role.
Last reviewed
Fundamentals
- Who buys AI training data?Frontier labs, neolabs, enterprises, startups and governments buy AI training data. What each buys, how they pay and where deals are reported.
- What is an AI data auction?An AI data auction is a competitive sale that sets the price of AI training data. How the formats work, why they are rare, and where they could fit.
- RLHF vs SFT: what is the difference?RLHF ranks model outputs; SFT imitates ideal answers. How the two post-training methods differ in data, cost and when labs use each.
- AI data marketplace vs data broker vs data labHow AI data marketplaces, data brokers and data labs differ in what they sell, how they price it and when to use each. With examples of each type.
Pricing
Buying
- How to evaluate an AI data vendorEvaluate an AI data vendor with ten checks: provenance, quality control, reviewer vetting, security, pricing clarity, pilot results and exit terms.
- How to buy AI training dataBuy AI training data by defining the spec, choosing a provider type, running a pilot and enforcing acceptance tests. A step-by-step buyer's guide.
- Designing an AI data pilotDesign an AI data pilot in five steps: fixed scope, shared rubric, blind scoring, held-out testing and a decision rule. Compare vendors on equal terms.
- AI data RFP templateAn AI data RFP template with the sections vendors need: scope, specification, acceptance tests, rights, security, pricing format and evaluation criteria.
Selling
Risk and legal
- Data provenance for AI trainingData provenance records where AI training data came from and what rights apply. What to document, how buyers check it and why it affects price.
- AI training data licensing checklistA twelve-point checklist for AI training data licenses: rights, permitted uses, exclusivity, term, audit, indemnity and exit terms. Not legal advice.