The New York Times is shaking the legal arena, suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. Their claim? That these tech giants constructed their powerful AI models by "copying and using millions" of NYT articles, resulting in direct competition with the publication's content.
According to the lawsuit, the Times alleges that these AI behemoths, driving ChatGPT and Copilot, can replicate NYT content verbatim, summarize it closely, and even mimic its unique style. This alleged action not only damages the Times' reader relationships but also siphons off potential revenue from subscriptions, licenses, ads, and affiliates.
The lawsuit raises a critical concern: the threat to top-notch journalism. It suggests that by leveraging NYT's content without permission or compensation, these AI models endanger the very essence of quality reporting and content monetization for news outlets.
The Times' attempt to negotiate with OpenAI and Microsoft over fair content use proved futile, the lawsuit claims. Both companies allegedly capitalized massively on AI models trained using NYT's content.
Seeking justice, the Times demands accountability, claiming billions in damages and urging the court to stop further training of AI models with its content. Additionally, it pushes to eliminate the Times' work from these companies' datasets.
This legal tussle follows actions by several news outlets, including the BBC, CNN, and Reuters, blocking OpenAI's web crawler. However, some, like Axel Springer, have struck deals to share content with OpenAI, indicating a divided stance within the industry on embracing AI advancements.
