Several prominent news organizations, including The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet, have filed lawsuits against OpenAI in a New York federal court. The suits allege that OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has unlawfully utilized its articles to train its popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT.
Allegations of Copyright Violations
The lawsuits claim that OpenAI employed thousands of articles from these outlets to train ChatGPT, resulting in the reproduction of copyrighted material without proper attribution. Specifically, the chatbot allegedly replicates its content “verbatim or nearly verbatim” when prompted.
Violation of Copyright Laws
Accusations extend to OpenAI’s alleged violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, as the company purportedly removed copyright-identifying information from the articles, facilitating infringement.
Demands and Legal Action
The organizations seek monetary damages of at least $2,500 per violation and a court order to cease the misuse of their work. The Intercept’s lawsuit further implicates Microsoft, OpenAI’s major financial supporter, citing its Bing AI chatbot as another infringing entity.
Response and Statements
OpenAI and Microsoft have yet to comment on the complaints. Roxanne Cooper, publisher of Raw Story, expressed concern over ChatGPT’s disregard for journalists’ copyrights. Annie Chabel, CEO of The Intercept, emphasized the importance of protecting journalists’ hard work.
Legal Landscape and Tech Industry Response
These lawsuits are part of a broader legal battle in the tech industry. OpenAI and other companies face similar challenges from copyright owners, with disputes ranging from authors to music publishers. Tech firms argue that their AI systems operate within fair use parameters, vital for the industry’s growth.
Allegations and Counterclaims
OpenAI accused The New York Times of “hacking” its systems to fabricate evidence against ChatGPT, a claim the Times denies. The Times asserts it merely utilized OpenAI’s products to identify potential copyright infringement.
Legal Proceedings and Counsel Information
The cases are filed as Raw Story Media v. OpenAI Inc. and The Intercept Media Inc. v. OpenAI Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Legal representation includes Matt Topic, Jonathan Loevy, and Michael Kanovitz for the news outlets, while OpenAI’s legal team is pending confirmation.
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