OpenAI Faces Defamation Lawsuit as Judge Rules in Favor of Radio Host’s Claim
A judge in Georgia has ruled in favor of radio host Mark Walters, allowing him to proceed with his defamation claim against artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI. The claim relates to false information provided by OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, which allegedly made defamatory statements about Walters. Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Tracie Cason issued a one-paragraph order on Thursday, although she did not provide a reason for her decision.
The lawsuit was filed by Walters last June after ChatGPT allegedly provided false and malicious information about him to journalist Fred Rieh, who founded the publication AmmoLand News, which covers weapons. According to Walters’ complaint, Rieh had asked ChatGPT to summarize a separate lawsuit brought by Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, against Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson. Instead of accurately describing Gottlieb’s lawsuit, ChatGPT falsely claimed that Walters was accused of misappropriating funds.
Walters argued that this response was a complete fabrication and filed a defamation lawsuit against OpenAI. The company, however, sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, contending that there had been no publication, no actual malice, and no harm to Walters’ reputation. OpenAI maintained that responsible use of AI involves fact-checking the outputs before sharing them, as AI-generated content can be probabilistic and not always factual.
OpenAI further argued that Rieh, during his chat with ChatGPT, indicated that he knew the statements about Walters were false. They pointed out that Rieh told the chatbot its reply was false and that its replies did not match the description of Gottlieb’s complaint. OpenAI also claimed that the chatbot repeatedly stated that it could not access or accurately summarize the legal document in question.
In response to OpenAI’s arguments, Walters’ lawyer, John Monroe, contended that OpenAI’s claims were premature according to Georgia procedural rules. Monroe stated that factual issues, such as Rieh’s belief in ChatGPT’s statements, can only be resolved after both sides have exchanged evidence.
The ruling by Judge Cason means that Walters can now proceed with his defamation claim against OpenAI. This case raises important questions regarding the accountability and responsibility of AI systems and the potential legal consequences of their misuse. As AI technology continues to advance, it is crucial to establish frameworks to address the ethical and legal implications associated with AI-generated content.
OpenAI has received widespread attention for its language models, including ChatGPT, which sparked concerns about misinformation and the potential for AI to generate harmful and defamatory content. The outcome of this lawsuit could have broader implications for the AI industry as it grapples with the challenges of ensuring the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies.
