The New York Times has become the first major media organization to take legal action against AI firms, filing a lawsuit against OpenAI and its backer, Microsoft, for alleged copyright infringement. The newspaper claims that OpenAI used millions of its articles to train its AI technology, including OpenAI’s popular chatbot, ChatGPT. The New York Times seeks billions of dollars in damages from both companies.
OpenAI and similar AI companies rely on web content to train their large language models, which power products like ChatGPT. The lawsuit filed by The New York Times argues that when users ask ChatGPT about recent events, the chatbot occasionally responds with verbatim excerpts from The New York Times’ articles, bypassing the need for a subscription or links to the original source.
The New York Times claims that this unauthorized use of its content has resulted in a loss of revenue, as potential subscribers are deterred from subscribing and income generated from website visits is being impacted. The lawsuit also reveals that The New York Times attempted to resolve the matter through negotiations with OpenAI and Microsoft earlier this year, but no agreement was reached.
In response to the lawsuit, OpenAI stated that it respects the rights of content creators and is committed to working with them to ensure they benefit from AI technology. OpenAI expressed surprise and disappointment at the legal action, citing productive and constructive ongoing conversations with The New York Times. OpenAI has already formed partnerships with publishers, such as its agreement with German media company Axel Springer, which grants access to news content for a fee.
This lawsuit represents a significant legal battle that could have implications for other organizations in the media industry. The outcome of the case will be closely watched, as it may set a precedent for copyright claims against AI companies.
Earlier this year, OpenAI faced a lawsuit from a group of prominent authors, including George R.R. Martin and John Grisham, over similar copyright concerns. AI companies have also faced legal action from artists seeking to protect their work from analysis by AI systems. This legal landscape highlights the challenges AI companies face in navigating copyright issues while utilizing web content to train their models.
The lawsuit between The New York Times and OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, may prompt other media organizations to consider legal action against AI firms. It underscores the need for AI companies to establish clear guidelines and partnerships to avoid potential copyright infringements while harnessing the power of large language models.
As the legal battle progresses, the decisions made by the court will undoubtedly shape the relationship between AI companies and content creators. The outcome of the lawsuit will have broader implications for the future use of copyrighted content in AI technology, impacting the media industry as a whole.
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