# AI data SourceX's current data needs vs acceptance: checklist | SourceX

Canonical: https://refer.sourcex.si/proof/ai-data-buyer-demand-vs-acceptance
Last updated: 2026-10-20

An announcement is a public statement of intent about a category of data; acceptance is a decision about one delivered dataset, made after it was checked. Between them sit published sourcing criteria, which describe the kind of company a buyer screens for. Only executed acceptance, followed by cleared payment, starts the money moving for a specific company, and only that can lead to a referral reward. Use the checklist below to sort what a client has heard before anyone builds expectations on it.

This checklist is part of [what is an AI data buyer](/proof/what-is-a-data-buyer). Work through it tier by tier, ticking only what the evidence in front of you actually shows.

## Tier 1 checklist: a press release or spending announcement

A press release tells you a buyer intends to acquire a category of data. Tick each item only if the release itself says it.

- [ ] It is published on the buyer's own domain, with a date.
- [ ] It names the record categories sought.
- [ ] It states an amount and a period.
- [ ] It describes how compensation is set.
- [ ] It states any company-size or other screening threshold.

**What a full row of ticks proves:** a buyer says it wants a category of data. **What it never proves:** that the budget is spent, which companies will be paid, or that a particular company's records fit.

A dated example. On October 9, 2026, micro1 announced a commitment to spend $1 billion over the next 12 months on enterprise operational data acquisition. Its announcement says compensation is determined by the characteristics and value of the data contributed and targets companies with 30+ employees. That ticks the date, amount and period, compensation and size-threshold boxes; check the release itself for the categories it names. It is a real signal that operational records are in demand, and it is also, by its own wording, a per-dataset pricing model: no company learns its value from the release. [Why AI data demand is growing](/proof/why-ai-data-demand-is-growing) covers the broader trend.

## Tier 2 checklist: published sourcing criteria

Sourcing criteria move from the market to a type of company. Tick each item only if the buyer or its intermediary has published it.

- [ ] Record types accepted are named, with examples.
- [ ] Minimum company size or history is stated.
- [ ] Geography or language rules are stated.
- [ ] Rights requirements are described (who must own or authorize the records).
- [ ] The review process is described: who looks at what, and in which order.

**What a full row proves:** whether a company is the kind the buyer screens for. **What it never proves:** that a company meeting every criterion will be selected, at what price, or when. Fit is decided in review. SourceX's own criteria are on [who qualifies](/who-qualifies): 50+ full-time employees at peak (contractors excluded), documented operating history, rights to license and an authorized contact. Companies in the U.S., Canada and the EU qualify, as do companies in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, South Africa, Latin America, the UAE and Saudi Arabia when at least 90% of the data is in English. How buyers then assess the data is covered in [how AI labs and data users evaluate datasets](/proof/how-ai-buyers-evaluate-datasets).

## Tier 3 checklist: executed acceptance of one dataset

This tier is about one company and one delivery. Every item is a document or event, not a statement of intent.

- [ ] A license agreement is signed for a defined dataset.
- [ ] The dataset was delivered under that agreement.
- [ ] The buyer checked it and recorded acceptance.
- [ ] A reward becomes payable after SourceX has paid the referred company under its signed agreement and the payout conditions in the program terms are met, including finance approval and your tax and payment details.
- [ ] SourceX paid the company its supplier compensation.

**What a full row proves:** the delivered dataset met the agreed requirements and was paid for. **What it never proves:** that the same buyer will buy again, or that another company's similar records will be accepted. Programs change scope and sometimes pause; see [what happens if the SourceX pauses data sourcing](/questions/what-happens-if-the-buyer-pauses-a-program).

## Sorting three client statements (Illustrative)

Three things an owner might say, invented for this page, and where each lands.

| What the owner says | Tier it reaches | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| "A big buyer just announced a huge budget for data like ours." | Tier 1 | Date and source of the release; which categories it names |
| "We meet their size and record-type requirements." | Tier 2 | Whether rights and an authorized contact exist; who qualifies |
| "Our first delivery was accepted and the payout landed." | Tier 3 | That acceptance and cleared payment are both documented |

Most owners who mention buyers are at the first row. That is not a reason to stop. It is a reason to move the conversation from headlines to the company's own records, size and rights, which is what an introduction tests. The guide on [explaining why SourceX's current data needs change the value of an opportunity](/guides/how-to-explain-why-buyer-demand-changes-the-value-of-a-data-opportunity) helps with that conversation, and the [buyer due diligence checklist](/resources/ai-data-buyer-due-diligence-checklist) lists questions to put to any buyer. If the headline is about an acquisition rather than a SourceX's current data needs, see [data offers after an acquisition announcement](/guides/data-offer-after-acquisition-announcement).

## Where the referral reward sits on the checklist

Only at the bottom of tier 3. The referral reward is calculated on Actual Supplier Payout, the compensation SourceX actually pays the company for the qualifying completed handoff, excluding separately itemized taxes and expense reimbursements. It is paid separately by SourceX and never deducted from the company's payout. Under the [program terms](/terms)A reward becomes payable after SourceX has paid the referred company under its signed agreement and the payout conditions in the program terms are met, including finance approval and your tax and payment details. The [rewards page](/rewards) shows the status moving from Estimated to Eligible at exactly that point.

Illustrative only, not a forecast or a quote: if a company's Actual Supplier Payout for an accepted, paid delivery were $250,000 then the default reward would be $62,500. At $400,000 or more, it would stop at the $100,000 cap, which applies cumulatively per referred company and does not reset for a new agreement. No tier 1 or tier 2 evidence changes either number.

Partners sign the Channel Partner Agreement before submitting introductions, and the first valid introduction within the 90-day window is credited when the company submits a verified application.

## Next step

> **Refer a company. Earn up to $100,000.** Default reward: 25% of Actual Supplier Payout, capped at $100,000 cumulatively per referred company. Eligibility and payment conditions apply, and a signed Schedule A or addendum can differ. A lead, meeting or signature alone does not trigger payment.

If a client is reacting to a buyer headline, use the checklist to move the conversation to their own records, then [register as a partner](/register), check the company against [who qualifies](/who-qualifies) and read the [program terms](/terms) before you introduce them.

## Sources

- https://www.micro1.ai/blog/micro1-commits-1b-to-enterprise-data-acquisition
- https://refer.sourcex.si/terms
- https://refer.sourcex.si/rewards