LGF - OpenAI Says New York Times Lawsuit Against It Is ‘Without Merit’

OpenAI Says New York Times Lawsuit Against It Is ‘Without Merit’

The artificial intelligence start-up said that it collaborated with news organizations and that The Times, which accused it of copyright infringement, was not telling the full story.

Part 2: OpenAI's Defense and Collaborative Vision Amidst Copyright Controversy

Vocabulary

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Reliable Sue Wade

Infringe Lawsuit Merit

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Part 1: OpenAI's Defense and Collaborative Vision Amidst Copyright Controversy

OpenAI said on Monday that a New York Times lawsuit against it was “without merit” and that it supported and created opportunities for news organizations, as it waded further into a debate over the unauthorized use of published work to train artificial intelligence technologies. The Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft on Dec. 27, accusing the companies of infringing on its copyrights by using millions of its articles to train A.I. technologies like the ChatGPT chatbot. Chatbots now compete with The Times as a source of reliable information, the lawsuit said.

Part 2: The Filed Case

Vocabulary

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Spur Untapped

Copyright Novelist Suit

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Part 2: The Filed Case

The Times was the first major American media organization to sue OpenAI and Microsoft over copyright issues related to its written works. Other groups, including novelists and computer programmers, have also filed copyright suits against A.I. companies. The suits have been spurred by the boom in “generative A.I.,” technologies that generate text, images and other media from short prompts. OpenAI and other A.I. companies build this technology by feeding it enormous amounts of digital data, some of which is likely copyrighted. That has led to a realization that online information — stories, artwork, news articles, message board posts and photos — may have significant untapped value.

Part 3: The Legal Landscape of A.I. Content Usage

Vocabulary

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Appear to Concede Constructively Long

Measure Regurgitate Verbatim

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Part 3: The Legal Landscape of A.I. Content Usage

A.I. companies have long claimed that they can legally use such content to train their technologies without paying for it because the material is public and they are not reproducing the material in its entirety. In its blog post, OpenAI said its discussions with The Times about a potential partnership appeared to progress constructively, with a last communication on Dec. 19. During the negotiations, it said, The Times had mentioned that it had seen OpenAI’s technology “regurgitate” some of its content — meaning the technology had generated near-verbatim excerpts from articles that ran in The Times — but declined to provide examples. When The Times sued eight days later, OpenAI said it was surprised and disappointed. In a statement, Ian Crosby, an attorney for The Times at the law firm Susman Godfrey, said that OpenAI’s blog post “concedes that OpenAI used The Times’s work” and that OpenAI and Microsoft were using The Times’s articles to build products without permission or payment. “That’s not fair use by any measure,” he said.

Discussing the Text

Part 1

1. How might the OpenAI vs. The New York Times lawsuit impact the future of AI development?
2. What ethical considerations arise from using copyrighted material to train AI models, especially when replicating content from news organizations?
3. Do you agree with OpenAI's claim that using copyrighted works falls under fair use, or do you think The Times has a valid copyright infringement case?

Discussing the Text

Part 2

1. How could the lawsuit outcome influence how media organizations collaborate with AI companies in the future?
2. What responsibility should AI companies like OpenAI have in preventing unintentional reproduction of copyrighted content?
3. Should AI companies be required to compensate content creators for using their copyrighted material in model training?

That's all!

Copyright Definition: the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, or sell original works Sample Sentence: The artist secured copyright for her new painting. Discussion Question: How do you think copyright laws impact creativity and innovation?

Suit Definition: a legal action or process; a formal set of clothes Sample Sentence: The company faced a lawsuit for patent infringement. Discussion Question: How do legal suits affect how people see industries, and do you think this perception is fair?

Verbatim Definition: in exactly the same words as were used originally Sample Sentence: The witness recited her statement verbatim during the trial. Discussion Question: Why is it important for historians to quote original sources verbatim, and how does the verbatim preservation of historical records impact our understanding of the past?

Merit Definition: the quality of being particularly good or worthy Sample Sentence: His dedication to the project earned him recognition and merit. Discussion Question: What factors do you think should be prioritized when assessing the merit of a new innovation or software?

Long Definition: for a considerable period; for an extended time Sample Sentence: A.I. companies have long claimed that they can legally use such content to train their technologies without paying for it because the material is public and they are not reproducing the material in its entirety. Discussion Question: What is something that you have long wanted to do but haven't found the time?

Constructively Definition: serving a useful purpose; promoting improvement Sample Sentence: The team worked constructively to find solutions to the problem. Discussion Question: How can constructive criticism contribute to personal growth?

Spur Definition: to stimulate or encourage the development of something Sample Sentence: The success of the first film spurred the creation of a sequel. Discussion Question: Can you think of an example where competition spurred positive outcomes?

Regurgitate Definition: repeat information without understanding it Sample Sentence: Some students tend to regurgitate facts rather than comprehend them. Discussion Question: How can educators encourage deep understanding of subjects among students, and what teaching methods can deter regurgitation of information?

Wade (through something) Definition: to move with effort through a challenging situation or obstacle. Sample Sentence: After facing multiple setbacks, the team had to wade through financial difficulties to achieve success. Discussion Question: Can you share a personal experience where you had to wade through challenges, and how did it shape your perspective on overcoming obstacles?

Concede Definition: admit that something is true after denying it Sample Sentence: After a long debate, he had to concede that his opponent had a valid point. Discussion Question: In what situations do you think it's strategically beneficial for parties in a negotiation to concede certain points, and how does this contribute to a successful resolution?

Novelist Definition: a writer of novels, someone who creates fictional stories Sample Sentence: The novelist spent months crafting her latest mystery novel. Discussion Question: Who is your favorite novelist? Why do you like them?

Appear to Definition: give the impression of being or doing something Sample Sentence: The magician's tricks often appear to defy the laws of physics. Discussion Question: Can you think of a product or service that appeared to be better than what you received?

Infringe Definition: to violate or go beyond the limits of Sample Sentence: The student was reprimanded for trying to infringe on exam rules. Discussion Question: In what situations do you think people might unintentionally infringe on rules?

Reliable Definition: able to be trusted to do or provide what is needed Sample Sentence: The old watch may not be stylish, but it's reliable and always keeps accurate time. Discussion Question: What criteria do you consider when determining if a source is reliable?

Sue Definition: to take legal action against someone Sample Sentence: The dissatisfied customer threatened to sue the company for false advertising. Discussion Question: Do you think people are too quick to resort to suing others in today's society?

Measure Definition: a standard unit used for quantifying or comparing Sample Sentence: Scientists use precise measures to assess the impact of environmental changes. Discussion Question: What measures does your country use to indicate success in education? How would you change it if given the opportunity?

Lawsuit Definition: a legal case brought to settle a dispute Sample Sentence: The neighbors decided to settle their property dispute through a lawsuit. Discussion Question: What were some of the most consequential lawsuits in your country?

Untapped Definition: not used or taken advantage of Sample Sentence: The new marketing strategy aimed to tap into the untapped potential of the market. Discussion Question: In what ways can companies optimize their resources to explore and capitalize on previously untapped areas, and what challenges might they face in doing so?