New York Times sues OpenAI and Microsoft over AI use of copyrighted work

The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement.

The lawsuit filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Wednesday claims that millions of articles from The New York Times were used to train automated chatbots that now compete with the news outlet as a source of reliable information.

As the New York Times reports, the suit does not include an exact monetary demand. But it says the defendants should be held responsible for “billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages” related to the “unlawful copying and use of The Times’s uniquely valuable works.”

It also calls for the companies to destroy any chatbot models and training data that use copyrighted material from The Times.

In its complaint, The Times said it approached Microsoft and OpenAI in April to raise concerns about the use of its intellectual property and explore “an amicable resolution,” possibly involving a commercial agreement and “technological guardrails” around generative A.I. products. But it said the talks had not produced a resolution.

On the other hand, an OpenAI spokeswoman, Lindsey Held, said in a statement that the company had been “moving forward constructively” in conversations with The Times and that it was “surprised and disappointed” by the lawsuit.

“We respect the rights of content creators and owners and are committed to working with them to ensure they benefit from A.I. technology and new revenue models,” Ms. Held said.

“We’re hopeful that we will find a mutually beneficial way to work together, as we are doing with many other publishers,” she added.

Microsoft declined to comment on the case.

The trouble AI is causing for news companies

Besides seeking to protect intellectual property, the lawsuit by The Times casts ChatGPT and other A.I. systems as potential competitors in the news business.

When chatbots are asked about current events or other newsworthy topics, they can generate answers that rely on journalism by The Times.

The newspaper expresses concern that readers will be satisfied with a response from a chatbot and decline to visit The Times’s website, thus reducing web traffic that can be translated into advertising and subscription revenue.

The complaint cites several examples when a chatbot provided users with near-verbatim excerpts from Times articles that would otherwise require a paid subscription to view.

It asserts that OpenAI and Microsoft placed particular emphasis on the use of Times journalism in training their A.I. programs because of the perceived reliability and accuracy of the material.

The arrival of artificial intelligence has caused controversies in various industries, including news and the creative field.

As another year is to begin, many are waiting to see the extent to which AI will affect various fields.  The EU recently unveiled regulations to control the use and spread of AI in member countries.

The Times is not the first party to sue AI companies that create products like ChatGPT. Besides, Hollywood actors went on strike this year and AI was a major concern that needed to be addressed.