Over 8,000 authors, including renowned writers such as Margaret Atwood and James Patterson, have penned an open letter demanding compensation from AI companies for utilizing their works without permission to train AI systems. The Authors Guild published the letter on Tuesday outlining their concerns.
The authors expressed their frustration, stating, Millions of copyrighted books, articles, essays, and poetry provide the ‘food’ for AI systems, endless meals for which there has been no bill. They direct their letter to CEOs of prominent AI companies: OpenAI, Alphabet, Meta, Stability AI, IBM, and Microsoft.
The authors argue that embedding their writings in AI systems poses a threat to their profession. They worry that AI-generated content, based on their work, could flood the market with mediocre machine-written books, stories, and journalism. This situation has already led to a 40% decline in authors’ earnings over the past decade, according to a survey conducted by the Authors Guild, which included over 5,700 participants. The median income for full-time writers in 2022 was calculated at a dismal $23,330.
The Authors Guild emphasizes that advancements in AI technology will further diminish writers’ ability to make a living. To address these concerns, the open letter, with its more than 8,000 signatories including well-known authors like Dan Brown and Suzanne Collins, calls on AI companies to provide compensation for both past and future use of their writing.
The legality of obtaining permissions for AI training remains vague, particularly as these systems are typically trained on large volumes of text sourced from the internet. The Wall Street Journal reported that it is unclear to what extent companies have legally acquired permissions.
At the time of writing, OpenAI, Google, Meta, Stability AI, IBM, and Microsoft have not issued any immediate response to the authors’ demands. However, OpenAI did release a statement to the Journal stating that their ChatGPT model is trained on a combination of licensed content, publicly available content, and content produced by human AI trainers and users. The company asserts its commitment to respecting the rights of creators and authors.
This demand from authors comes amidst two lawsuits filed against OpenAI by authors alleging copyright infringement. One such lawsuit involves Sarah Silverman, who claims unauthorized use of her memoir, The Bedwetter.
Authors are not the only group of creators expressing discontent with AI companies. Artists, including Sarah Andersen, have started utilizing tools to prevent AI from utilizing their work due to concerns of generative AI replacing their artistic contributions.
In conclusion, over 8,000 authors have united in a demand for compensation from AI companies for using their works without permission. These authors believe that AI-generated content threatens the quality of their profession and undermines their ability to earn a substantial income. As the debate surrounding AI’s impact on creativity continues, it remains to be seen how AI companies will address these calls for compensation and navigate the complex landscape of copyright and intellectual property laws.
