FOLLOW US

On Wednesday, the New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. This latest legal battle adds to the growing number of content creators claiming copyright violations within the generative AI sector.

It claims the unauthorized use of millions of Times-owned articles to train powerful AI GPT models.

Holiday Travel Chaos: Winter Storms and Protests - USA Herald

Christmas Clemency: Biden Pardons Marijuana-Related Offenses - USA Herald

Christmas Caravan: 7,000 Asylum-Seekers to Hit US Southern Border Amid Record Numbers - USA Herald

Migrant Activist: Plans to Lead Migrants into the US - USA Herald

Copyright Violations

In the Federal District Court in Manhattan, the lawsuit emphasizes that the works were used “without permission.”

While the suit does not specify a monetary demand, it contends that the companies are responsible for billions in damages.

The New York Times demands the dismantling of chatbot models and data that incorporated copyrighted content from The Times.

The Times alleges that Microsoft and OpenAI "likely used millions of Times-owned works in full to train the GPT models" and repeatedly copied copyrighted content without any compensation. 

The companies collaborated to develop a complex supercomputing system dedicated to housing and reproducing copies of the training dataset, including Times-owned content. 

The heart of the matter lies in the AI chatbots developed by these companies, which, according to the lawsuit, aim to leverage The Times' substantial journalism investment to build substitutive products without permission or payment. 

Copyright issues have become a focal point in the generative AI sector, with publishers, musicians, and artists increasingly seeking legal action to ensure compensation for the use of their content in AI technologies.

News organizations seek damages

In contrast to media groups like Germany's Axel Springer and the Associated Press, which have entered content deals with OpenAI, The New York Times has taken a confrontational stance. 

The lawsuit suggests that if news organizations cannot protect their independent journalism, there will be a void that no AI can fill, leading to a reduction in journalism production with enormous societal costs.

The Times seeks damages, and an order to cease using its content for AI model training. It is also demanding the destruction of already harvested data.

 While a specific sum is not mentioned, The Times claims the infringement could amount to billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages.