The New York Times has initiated legal action against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging unauthorized utilization of its published materials for the development of their AI tool, ChatGPT.
This marks the first instance of a major American media entity bringing a lawsuit against these companies, who are known for the creation of ChatGPT and other widely-used AI platforms, over copyright infringement concerns linked to their textual content.
The legal complaint, lodged in the Federal District Court in Manhattan on Wednesday, argues that The Times’ vast array of articles has been employed in the training of automated chatbots. These chatbots are now emerging as competitors to The Times in delivering trustworthy news and information.
While the lawsuit does not specify a precise financial claim, it suggests that the defendants be held accountable for “billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages” owing to the “unlawful copying and use of The Times’s uniquely valuable works.”
In the allegations made by The New York Times, the newspaper highlights issues regarding the unpaid use of its intellectual property by AI technologies. The company accuses OpenAI and Microsoft of exploiting its content without compensation to create products that not only substitute its offerings but potentially also divert its readership.
ChatGPT, the widely recognized chatbot, is a product of OpenAI, in which Microsoft has significant investment stakes. Microsoft has invested $13 billion in OpenAI and integrated its technology into the Bing search engine.
