The New York Times Files Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Microsoft for Unauthorized Use of Web Content
The New York Times has taken legal action against OpenAI and Microsoft for allegedly using the newspaper’s web content without permission in their artificial intelligence (AI) program called ChatGPT. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, aims to protect the value of journalism and uphold copyright laws in the digital age.
According to the complaint, ChatGPT was trained on a large language model that extensively relied on articles produced by The New York Times’ website. The program uses billions of examples to predict words based on a given text string. The training set included an enormous 45 terabytes of data, equivalent to over 3.7 billion pages of text. While not all of the data came from The New York Times, the newspaper argues that its copyrighted works were used without authorization.
OpenAI, initially established as a nonprofit organization focused on advancing AI research for the benefit of humanity, shifted to a proprietary system and began charging customers for their services. However, The New York Times questions why they can freely utilize others’ work while simultaneously profiting from it.
The newspaper suggests that alternatives were available to OpenAI and Microsoft. They could have used non-copyrighted materials, such as the works of William Shakespeare or Mark Twain, both of whom are not protected by current copyright laws. However, the lawsuit emphasizes that the unauthorized use of copyrighted content sets a concerning precedent for the future of independent journalism.
With the rise of the internet, platforms like Craigslist, Google, and Facebook have already impacted the revenue streams of traditional media organizations by absorbing classifieds, display ads, and circulation. Now, AI poses a new threat, potentially undermining the very existence of the press. The lawsuit warns that if news organizations like The New York Times are unable to protect their independent journalism, there will be an irreplaceable void that no computer or AI can fill.
The New York Times seeks to stress the importance of human storytelling and the value of journalism in a rapidly advancing technological landscape. They argue that allowing AI programs to employ copyrighted works without permission does a disservice to the creative and intellectual efforts of journalists.
This lawsuit raises important questions about the ethical use of copyrighted content in the realm of artificial intelligence. As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial to strike a balance between innovation and respect for intellectual property rights. The outcome of this suit could have far-reaching implications for the future of AI development and the preservation of investigative journalism.
It remains to be seen how the court will rule on this matter, but the case highlights the ongoing struggle to protect intellectual property and the essential role of human storytelling in a world increasingly dominated by machines.
As the legal battle unfolds, it underscores the importance of upholding copyright laws and ensuring that the rights of creators and journalists are respected in the digital age.
