Microsoft and OpenAI Face Legal Backlash from Various Newspapers
Renowned newspapers such as the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune, along with six others, recently filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI. The allegations revolve around copyright infringement, citing the inappropriate use of these newspapers’ articles to boost the functionality of their artificial intelligence systems. The accused tech giants are currently under fire for allegedly replicating millions of articles without prior authorization from the publishing companies.
Hedge Fund Ownership and the Involvement of AI Products
Hedge fund Alden Global Capital’s MediaNews Group owns all eight newspapers. They claim that among the AI tools that make use of their content are Microsoft’s Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. In response to the allegations, an OpenAI spokesperson stated that the company maintains stringent care in product design, supporting news organizations in the process. On the other side, a spokesperson from Microsoft chose not to comment on the situation.
Recent Influx of Copyright Infringement Lawsuits
These newspaper accusations aren’t isolated events; they follow a string of recent lawsuits against Microsoft and OpenAI. The likes of New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet are already seeking settlement from these corporations. All these lawsuits share a major accusation: the misuse of content for artificial intelligence programming without proper acknowledgment or recompensation towards the content creators.
According to lawyer Steven Lieberman, representing the MediaNews publications, OpenAI owes its triumphs largely to the creativity of others. He upbraids the defendants for spending billions on assets like computers and staff salaries, yet neglecting to pay for the content they’re distributing. (source)
Allegations of Replicating and Misrepresenting Content
The lawsuit goes further to claim that Microsoft and OpenAI’s systems reproduce the newspapers’ copyrighted content verbatim when prompted. Additionally, it alleges that OpenAI’s ChatGPT produces and releases offensive articles under the false guise of the suing newspapers. The generated pieces have included egregious examples such as a fictitious Denver Post article promoting smoking as an asthma cure, or an implausible Chicago Tribune endorsement of a recalled infant lounger linked to child deaths.
Other Plaintiffs and the Call for Legal Measures
Additional plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the Orange County Register, Twin Cities Pioneer Press, San Jose Mercury News, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and the Orlando Sentinel. This coalition of renowned newspapers is seeking an unspecified monetary compensation and further legal actions to put a stop to any potential copyright infringements.
This ongoing saga further highlights the tension between tech companies’ drive for innovation and content creators’ rights. The outcome of this case will shed light on how the legal boundaries between technology and copyright laws gel in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
