A group of nonfiction authors, including Pulitzer Prize winners, have added their names to a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The authors accuse the companies of disregarding copyright laws in relation to their ChatGPT technology. Writer Julian Sancton initiated the lawsuit, and now political writer Jonathan Alter, civil rights historian Taylor Branch, and New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino have joined the cause. The proposed class action suit alleges that OpenAI and Microsoft have failed to uphold copyright protections. The case was filed in the Southern District of New York.
The lawsuit claims that OpenAI and Microsoft have operated as if copyright laws do not exist, infringing upon the rights of nonfiction authors whose work has been used in the development of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. By joining the suit, the Pulitzer Prize winners and other authors aim to highlight the importance of intellectual property rights within the realm of artificial intelligence.
Jonathan Alter, one of the authors involved, emphasized the significance of this case, stating, As writers, we rely on copyright protection to safeguard our work and enable us to continue producing high-quality nonfiction. It is essential that companies like OpenAI and Microsoft recognize and respect these protections.
Taylor Branch, another Pulitzer Prize winner, echoed Alter’s sentiments, saying, History and documentation are critical to understanding the world we live in. By undermining copyright laws, OpenAI and Microsoft hinder the ability of nonfiction authors to contribute their unique perspectives and insights.
With the addition of Taylor Branch, Jia Tolentino, and the other authors to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs hope to draw attention not only to the alleged copyright infringement but also to the broader issue of protecting authors’ rights in the age of artificial intelligence. By filing a proposed class action suit, the authors aim to represent the interests of all nonfiction writers whose work has been affected by OpenAI and Microsoft’s alleged disregard for copyright laws.
As this case unfolds in the Southern District of New York, it raises important questions about the responsibility of technology developers and the protection of intellectual property. The outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for how AI models like ChatGPT are developed and the role of copyright in the digital age.
