The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking billions in damages over using AI-generated content from its newspaper’s extensive article archives.
The New York Times is demanding billions of dollars in damages, without specifying a figure, for what it terms “illicit duplication and use” of its content.
Furthermore, the legal action requests the complete disassembly of AI models and training data that contain copyrighted material from The Times. Microsoft and OpenAI have not yet issued a public statement responding to these allegations.
This legal challenge highlights the increasing tension between traditional media and AI-driven platforms and calls into doubt the use of copyrighted works in AI training.
The New York Times, having succeeded in its digital journalism endeavors, perceives AI chatbots as direct competitors with the potential to divert traffic and revenue from its digital properties.
Moreover, the case may have far-reaching implications for the rapidly growing field of generative AI, which depends on a wide range of online texts to fulfill its developmental requirements.
New York Times’ Stance on AI Use
The Times lodged a complaint that cited occurrences in which AI chatbots generated responses derived from its journalism, which was unavailable exclusively on a subscription basis.
According to the newspaper, this could result in fewer visits to its website and, consequently, a decline in advertising and subscription income. The lawsuit further highlights the potential damage that AI-generated inaccuracies or “hallucinations” could cause to The New York Times’ brand reputation.
According to The Times, previous efforts to resolve the dispute amicably with Microsoft and OpenAI regarding commercial agreements and restrictions on AI products failed.
This has resulted in the initiation of the present legal proceedings. This legal action represents a pivotal moment for AI technology companies and the news industry, potentially altering the norms of interaction in the era of digitalization.
