The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft for alleged copyright infringement. The Times claims that OpenAI used millions of the newspaper’s copyrighted articles without permission to train its language models. Microsoft’s involvement with OpenAI and its use of OpenAI’s technology in its products also make it a party to the lawsuit. The Times alleges that Microsoft’s language models provide infringing content and misinformation to users. The newspaper had previously attempted to negotiate a licensing agreement with OpenAI but was unsuccessful. The lawsuit seeks to hold OpenAI and Microsoft responsible for billions of dollars in damages.
The Times’ legal action is part of a broader trend of organizations seeking compensation and legal remedies for the unauthorized use of their intellectual property by AI companies. In October, news executives lobbied Congress for stronger copyright protection and liability for AI models. The U.S. Copyright Office is studying the legal and policy issues surrounding AI, and the News Media Alliance has recommended a mandatory rights-based licensing framework. The use of news content by online platforms like Google and Meta has also been a contentious issue, with countries like Australia and Canada proposing laws to ensure compensation for news publishers.
While media outlets have been experimenting with AI technology, there have been instances of misuse. Sports Illustrated publisher Arena Group fired executives for overseeing the use of AI to generate content with fake bylines. Technology news site CNET also found errors in more than half of its AI-written stories. The Times’ lawsuit highlights the concern that unauthorized use of content by AI companies threatens the journalism industry and its ability to produce independent reporting.