NY Times Sues OpenAI & Microsoft for Copyright Infringement of Millions of Articles

The New York Times has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages. The newspaper alleges that OpenAI used millions of its copyrighted articles without permission to train large language models like ChatGPT. Microsoft’s close involvement with OpenAI and its use of the technology in its own products make it a party to the lawsuit, according to the Times. The newspaper also claims that Microsoft’s AI tools, including Bing Chat, provide infringing content and misinformation. The Times had sought to reach a licensing agreement with OpenAI but was unsuccessful. Other media firms have successfully struck deals with OpenAI, allowing the use of their data for training AI algorithms. The Times’ lawsuit reflects a growing trend of organizations seeking legal remedies to protect their intellectual property from unauthorized use by AI companies. The case raises important questions about copyright protection, liability, and accountability in the age of AI. The U.S. Copyright Office is currently studying the legal and policy issues related to AI. News organizations are seeking stronger copyright protection and transparency for training AI models. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the use of news content by online platforms and the rights of authors and publishers.