Legal Battle Brews as OpenAI Negotiates Licensing Deal with New York Times
OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) giant, is currently in intense negotiations with the New York Times over a licensing deal that would allow them to train their ChatGPT model using material published by the newspaper. The negotiations haven’t gone as smoothly as OpenAI had hoped, with the discussions reportedly becoming contentious. So much so that the Times is now considering legal action, which could have serious consequences for OpenAI.
The use of AI in news media has become a prominent issue as more companies are faced with the decision to embrace or reject AI. Many AI companies rely on news media as a source of information to teach their AI models. OpenAI has already secured a licensing deal with the Associated Press, one of the largest news agencies globally. Now, they are looking to strike a similar agreement with the New York Times.
However, the Times recently decided to prohibit OpenAI from training their ChatGPT model using its published material. This has resulted in negotiations between the two parties, which have now become tense and could potentially lead to legal action. Anonymous sources have revealed that the fear for the Times revolves around the use of AI in search engines. With AI models summarizing content, the need for users to visit the publisher’s website diminishes, potentially impacting the Times’ revenue and readership.
The legality of using AI to collect data from websites without prior authorization is also a concern. It raises questions about copyright infringement and the morality of such actions. If OpenAI is found guilty of violating copyright laws, they could be forced to wipe ChatGPT’s entire data set and start from scratch. Rebuilding the database would be a tedious and time-consuming task, significantly slowing down the AI model’s progress.
Furthermore, federal copyright laws carry heavy monetary fines, potentially reaching up to $150,000 per infringement. For OpenAI, copying millions of works without authorization could prove fatal. Experts emphasize the gravity of these consequences, noting that a lawsuit from the New York Times could have a devastating impact on OpenAI and potentially all AI companies.
This isn’t the first instance of an AI company facing legal action. Earlier this year, Getty Images sued Stability AI for training its AI model using unauthorized photos from Getty Images. However, Getty Images did not seek financial compensation but aimed to rebuild the model while respecting intellectual property.
In addition to the potential lawsuit from the New York Times, OpenAI is also facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that ChatGPT scraped data from millions of users without consent. This information was collected from various third-party apps, including Spotify, Microsoft Teams, and Snapchat, without users’ knowledge.
The outcome of the negotiations between OpenAI and the New York Times remains uncertain. It is unclear if the discussions are ongoing or if they have reached an impasse. Nevertheless, the possibility of a lawsuit of this magnitude looms large and could spell disaster not just for OpenAI, but for the entire AI industry.
In conclusion, the negotiations between OpenAI and the New York Times for a licensing deal have hit a roadblock, potentially leading to a legal battle. The Times is concerned about the impact of AI on its readership and revenue, while also raising questions about copyright infringement and data collection without authorization. A lawsuit from the New York Times could have far-reaching consequences for OpenAI and the AI industry as a whole, making this a story to watch closely in the coming months.
