Key Takeaways
- Wikipedia is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, while expanding partnerships with tech companies via Wikimedia Enterprise.
- Launched in 2021, Wikimedia Enterprise offers stable data feeds for major firms like Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
- Enterprise access provides structured content and reduces the effort needed for maintaining data pipelines, with paid agreements involved.
- The service ensures machine-readable data, reliable updates, and guarantees which regular public access does not offer.
- Despite enterprise collaborations, Wikipedia remains free to access, edit, and reuse, with editorial control staying with the volunteer community.
Wikipedia reached its 25th anniversary in 2026 while expanding its work with large technology companies through Wikimedia Enterprise. The Wikimedia Foundation confirmed that organisations now rely on structured Wikipedia data for commercial and technical uses at scale. These arrangements operate separately from the free access provided to the public.
Wikimedia Enterprise launched in 2021 to support companies that need stable and consistent data feeds. The service offers content delivery designed for high-volume use without changing how Wikipedia operates for readers or editors.
Companies Using Wikimedia Enterprise
Wikimedia Enterprise works with major technology firms, including Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and several artificial intelligence companies. These organisations use Wikipedia data to support search tools, AI models, and knowledge-based services.
Enterprise access allows companies to receive structured content, metadata, and regular updates. This reduces the technical effort required to maintain large data pipelines. All participating companies enter paid agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation.
Revenue from these partnerships contributes to infrastructure maintenance and platform development. The Foundation stated that funding also supports long-term sustainability projects.
How Wikimedia Enterprise Operates
Wikimedia Enterprise provides machine-readable data through dedicated APIs. Services include real-time article updates, historical data access, and consistent formatting across languages. These features help organisations manage content changes efficiently.
The service includes reliability guarantees not offered through public data access methods. These guarantees focus on uptime, data stability, and predictable delivery.
Wikimedia confirmed that enterprise clients do not receive exclusive rights. The same content remains available under open licenses.
Public Access and Editorial Control
The Wikimedia Foundation stated that enterprise partnerships do not limit public access. Wikipedia articles remain free to read, edit, and reuse.
Editorial decisions stay with the global volunteer community. Enterprise partners do not influence article content.
As Wikipedia enters its 25th year, Wikimedia Enterprise reflects how the platform supports both open knowledge and large-scale technology use without changing its core mission.
Source: https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/wikipedia-25-enterprise-partners/
