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Two major American newspapers take OpenAI and Microsoft to court over AI training data

Two major American newspapers have taken OpenAI and Microsoft to federal court accusing the technology companies of using their journalism without permission to develop and operate artificial-intelligence systems

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Generative AI
AI systems that produce new content such as text, images, audio, video, or code.
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What happened

Two major American newspapers, The Seattle Times and Newsday, have taken OpenAI and Microsoft to federal court, accusing the technology companies of using their journalism without permission to develop and operate artificial-intelligence systems. The newspapers allege that the companies copied material from their websites, including articles available only to paying subscribers, and incorporated the content into datasets used to train and operate AI products.

The Seattle Times and Newsday have taken OpenAI and Microsoft to federal court, accusing the technology companies of using their journalism without permission to develop and operate artificial-intelligence systems.

The newspapers allege that the companies copied material from their websites, including articles available only to paying subscribers, and incorporated the content into datasets used to train and operate AI products.

The case is a significant development in the ongoing debate over the use of copyrighted material in AI development and training.

The lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of AI development and the economics of news production and distribution in the digital age.

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Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights the growing tension between the traditional media industry and the companies developing generative AI. The newspapers argue that the use of their reporting without permission threatens a core source of revenue for journalism, while allowing technology companies to benefit from reporting that requires substantial investment to produce.

The lawsuit adds two prominent regional news organizations to a rapidly expanding confrontation between the traditional media industry and the companies developing generative AI.

The newspapers are seeking a court order requiring the companies to destroy copies of their copyrighted works, as well as training datasets and AI models that incorporate their material.

The case is part of a much wider wave of legal challenges against AI companies, with dozens of copyright holders suing companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta, alleging that copyrighted material was used without authorization in the development and training of AI systems.

What to watch next

The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of AI development and the economics of news production and distribution in the digital age.

The legal battle between publishers and technology companies is likely to shape not only the future of AI but also the economics of news production and distribution in the digital age.

The case could determine how AI companies are allowed to obtain and use the enormous quantities of information required to develop increasingly sophisticated models.

The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of AI development and the economics of news production and distribution in the digital age.

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