Home / Business and Economy / AI's "Astonishing Theft": News Outlet Sues Tech Giants
AI's "Astonishing Theft": News Outlet Sues Tech Giants
18 Sep
Summary
- Millions of news articles allegedly used to train AI models.
- Lawsuit claims AI training constitutes "astonishing theft of labor."
- AI companies argue copyrighted content use is "fair use."
A significant lawsuit alleges that OpenAI and Microsoft engaged in "astonishing theft" by scraping millions of news articles to train their artificial intelligence models, including ChatGPT. The legal action, initiated three years ago in New York federal court, claims this amounts to "the largest theft of labor in human history." Microsoft has distanced itself from internal statements acknowledging the issue, calling them an "individual perspective."
Several other news publishers have joined the suit, seeking damages for their copyrighted material used in AI development. OpenAI has since pursued content licensing deals, but concerns remain about generative AI's impact on news website traffic. AI companies' attempts to include citations are criticized as insufficient, with internal admissions suggesting users won't click links.
Microsoft and OpenAI contend that their use of news content is transformative and protected under "fair use" laws. The US Department of Justice has filed a brief supporting their stance, citing "scientific progress" and "national security." The plaintiffs are seeking a summary judgment, with a ruling from US District Judge Sidney Stein not expected until 2027.
