Pillar guide
How to license your firm's records to AI: the complete guide
Short answer: Firms can license copies of their operating records and archives (project files, CAD/BIM models, documents, tickets and communications) to AI developers through published buyer programs, with published ranges mostly from $100K per licence. Doing it properly means confirming ownership, scoping out client-confidential, personal and export-controlled information, preparing an inventory and samples, and matching with buyers whose criteria fit.
Everything a firm needs to decide whether, and how, to license its records and archives to AI developers: who buys, what it's worth, what the rules allow and how the process runs.
Last updated · Sources linked inline · Buyer figures as published, observed Oct 16, 2026 (micro1, Mercor and GDC re-checked Nov 3, 2026)
What is AI data licensing?
A company grants an AI developer rights to use a copy of its operating records to train or evaluate models, in exchange for payment.
Buyers say they want records of real work: communications, documents, tickets, wikis, project files and workflow. See the AI data licensing glossary for terms such as de-identification, exclusivity and sub-licensing.
Who buys company records and archives?
AI developers and data companies with public programs, including micro1, Mode, Handshake AI, Mercor, The General Data Company, Turing, Polyshares and SuperAnnotate.
| Buyer | What they publish | Who they say qualifies | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| micro1 | Says it pays $100K to $3M+ (tiers: $100K–$500K, $500K–$3M, and $3M+ for highly unique data). Payment within 30 days of invoicing, after a 30-day review of the delivered data. As published · verify | 30+ full-time employees, mature operations, records primarily in English. Prioritizes US companies, then other Western markets; says current demand is strongest for companies based in the US, UK and Canada. Licenses only to US and allied-country labs and enterprises. | Buyer page checked directly Nov 3, 2026 |
| Mode (data.mode.inc) | Indicative $100K–$5M; about 3 months from first call to payment; no broker fee charged to the company. As published · verify | Minimum 6 staff for legal, 10 for accounting and finance, 30 for other businesses. Teams based mainly in the US are its strongest fit. | Buyer page via Who Sells Data register, observed Oct 16, 2026 |
| Handshake AI | Published range $100K to $4M+; typically paid 30–60 days after the de-identified dataset is accepted. As published · verify | 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years in operation. | Buyer page via Who Sells Data register, observed Oct 16, 2026 |
| Mercor | No amounts published; says it charges no fees or costs and pays by wire when the anonymized dataset is delivered, typically 2–4 weeks after signing. Payout rises with the number of tools connected. As published · verify | Target industries include legal, healthcare, finance and insurance, professional services, manufacturing, retail, real estate and logistics. Its CEO's Oct 23, 2026 post targets companies with 100+ employees and data in code, gaming, manufacturing, healthcare or professional services. | Buyer page checked directly Nov 3, 2026 CEO post, Oct 23, 2026 |
| The General Data Company | No amounts published; payment follows milestones agreed in writing. As published · verify | Industrial companies' records: technical drawings, CAD models, change requests, commissioning, inspection and maintenance records, and project files, including companies no longer trading. Says current designs and prices stay with the company. | Buyer page checked directly Nov 3, 2026 |
| Turing (Project Lazarus) | A single payment of up to $1M, confirmed after sampling (usually within a week). As published · verify | Operating, winding-down or closed companies. Wants communications, tickets, wikis and databases; code alone doesn't qualify. | Buyer page via Who Sells Data register, observed Oct 16, 2026 |
| Polyshares | $100K to $2M+ per licence; Net 30–60 after approval and delivery. As published · verify | Companies in any sector. | Buyer page via Who Sells Data register, observed Oct 16, 2026 |
| SuperAnnotate | Indicative valuation $100K to $1M+; paid on delivery and on each relicense. As published · verify | Companies of any size, industry or location. | Buyer page via Who Sells Data register, observed Oct 16, 2026 |
Amounts are each buyer's own published ranges, ceilings or tiers, not offers, and they change. Most buyers are US companies and don't always state a currency, so confirm it in writing. Size, location and language rules differ by buyer. Buyer names describe their public programs only. How the process works.
Full comparison: AI data buyer programs compared.
How much are a firm's records worth?
Published ranges mostly start around $100K per licence and run past $1M. Headcount, years, record types, systems and exclusivity move the number.
Method and factors: how much company data is worth to AI buyers.
What do buyers check before they price?
Size (or desk staff), depth of history, ownership, a file inventory with samples, and whether the records have been shopped elsewhere.
- Is my firm big enough? Published size minimums compared
- How to prepare your records: inventory, file counts, samples
- Exclusivity and licence terms: what to negotiate
Is it legal to license company data to AI?
It can be, when the firm owns the records and confidential, personal and controlled information is scoped out under the rules that apply.
- Privacy laws regulate personal information about clients and staff, including cross-border transfers.
- Professional codes protect client confidences.
- Contracts and platform terms can add limits.
- Export-control rules (e.g. ITAR, EAR) keep defence and controlled technical data out.
Details, including PIPEDA, Law 25 and CASL: privacy, confidentiality and export rules.
What can each type of firm license?
It varies: engineering and manufacturing firms license CAD/BIM project archives, software companies code with linked tickets, professional firms procedures and workflow, MSPs ticket histories.
- Engineering, architecture, construction & manufacturing (CAD/BIM): what's licensable, rules and buyers
- Software companies & game studios: what's licensable, rules and buyers
- Accounting & bookkeeping firms: what's licensable, rules and buyers
- Law firms: what's licensable, rules and buyers
- Consulting firms: what's licensable, rules and buyers
- IT services & MSPs: what's licensable, rules and buyers
- Closed or insolvent companies: what's licensable, rules and buyers
How does the process work?
Six steps: range, call, scoping, matching, agreement, payment. The buyer pays your firm directly.
Step by step: how AI data licensing works.
Can a closed or insolvent company license its data?
Yes, with some buyers, but a trustee, the court or the board may need to approve.
What do firms ask most often?
Is it selling or licensing?
How big does my firm need to be?
Does it matter where my firm is located?
How long does it take to get paid?
Is it legal?
What could your firm's records be worth?
Three answers give you a rough range based on what buyers publish. The rest helps a buyer take you seriously: every question after step 1 is optional. No files, logins or client names.