Two additional media outlets are taking legal action against OpenAI and Microsoft for allegedly utilizing their journalism to train artificial intelligence.
A lawsuit launched by The Seattle Times and Newsday contends that the rise of AI poses a risk of rendering the journalism sector “irreparably damaged.” The legal filing likens generative AI to “a snake eating its own tail,” asserting that it threatens to “wipe out the actual organizations” that generate the material it learns from.
The lawsuit claims, “AI tools like ChatGPT and CoPilot are promoted as creators of content, yet they are relentless consumers, ingesting human-produced works and regurgitating copies and derivative forms of that same original content to meet their business goals.”
Earlier in 2023, The New York Times initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright violations, leading to other publications joining the legal actions as the case progressed. The lawsuit from The Seattle Times stands out because Microsoft and OpenAI have financially supported some of its journalism initiatives and fellowships.
A representative from Microsoft expressed surprise at the lawsuit but indicated the company is willing to discuss resolution options for such disputes.
