The New York Times Files Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Microsoft Over Alleged Copyright Infringement

In a groundbreaking move, The New York Times has initiated legal action against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the tech giants of copyright infringement. The lawsuit contends that the companies unlawfully utilized millions of Times articles to train their artificial intelligence models, including ChatGPT, directly competing with The Times.

The complaint, filed on Wednesday, marks the first significant legal challenge by a major news publisher against OpenAI and Microsoft, both recognized AI industry leaders. The New York Times alleges that the unauthorized use of its content jeopardizes the newspaper’s ability to deliver services and threatens its journalistic investment.

According to the complaint, negotiations between The Times, OpenAI, and Microsoft to reach a resolution and fair compensation have been unsuccessful. The companies argue that their actions fall under “fair use,” a claim vehemently contested by The Times.

While The Times acknowledges the potential of generative AI for journalism, it emphasizes the necessity of permission and fair compensation for the use of its work. The lawsuit seeks damages, potentially amounting to billions of dollars, and a permanent injunction against further infringement. Additionally, The Times aims for the destruction of AI models or datasets that incorporate its copyrighted materials.

The legal battle between The New York Times and these tech giants could establish a precedent in the evolving landscape of AI and copyright law, prompting a reevaluation of the use of copyrighted material in training large language models.