The news industry has recently faced challenges due to the rise of artificial intelligence, with OpenAI being at the forefront of the controversy. The Center for Investigative Reporting, a well-known nonprofit newsroom, has taken legal action against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of copyright infringement. This lawsuit is just one of many that have been filed against OpenAI in recent months, as news organizations fight to protect their content and revenue.
The Center for Investigative Reporting alleges that OpenAI has been using their content without permission or compensation, specifically pointing out the ChatGPT chatbot as a tool that has been crawling the web and pulling information from news stories. The lawsuit claims that OpenAI had a choice to respect journalism works, but instead chose to use the content without authorization. This has led to accusations of “free rider behavior” by the CEO of the nonprofit, Monika Bauerlein.
The CIR is seeking damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, either in the form of actual damages and profits or statutory damages as outlined in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This legal battle reflects a larger trend in the news industry, where publications are struggling to maintain revenue from advertising and subscriptions, and are now facing the additional challenge of AI-generated content.
Industry Response
While some news organizations like The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune have taken legal action against OpenAI, others have chosen to collaborate with the technology company. Partnerships between OpenAI and media outlets like Time magazine and News Corp. have been announced, allowing OpenAI access to a vast library of articles to enhance their products or train their artificial intelligence models.
The impact of OpenAI on the news industry is complex and multifaceted. While some organizations are fighting against what they perceive as copyright infringement, others are embracing the opportunities for collaboration and innovation. As AI technology continues to evolve, it is clear that the relationship between artificial intelligence and journalism will be a key issue for the industry in the years to come.