AI chatbots caught red-handed stealing copyrighted content, claims media group
The NMA's white paper contends that AI developers heavily rely on scraping copyrighted material from news publications and journalists to build their AI models.
Highlights
- The News Media Alliance (NMA) has accused AI developers of illegally using copyrighted news content to train their AI models
- These models use news publisher content, leading to AI outputs that violate copyright
- NMA calls for licensing & transparency to limit copyright use
In a startling revelation, the News Media Alliance (NMA), US based media company has accused artificial intelligence (AI) developers of unlawfully harvesting copyrighted news content from media outlets and journalists to train their AI models.
This practice, as highlighted in the NMA's 77-page white paper submitted to the United States Copyright Office, has raised concerns about copyright infringement, putting news organisations in competition with AI-generated content. The dispute underscores the growing tension between AI technology and traditional news publishing.
AI developers under scrutiny
The NMA's white paper contends that AI developers heavily rely on scraping copyrighted material from news publications and journalists to build their AI models. These models use a significant amount of news publisher content, leading to the creation of AI-generated outputs that infringe upon copyright.
In essence, AI systems are accused of using publisher content without permission, resulting in the development of competing products. The NMA argues that while news publishers invest resources and take risks, it's AI developers who reap the rewards in terms of users, data, brand recognition, and advertising revenue.
Consequences for news publishers
The implications of this practice are profound for news publishers. Reduced revenues, diminished employment opportunities, and strained relationships with their audience are some of the setbacks publishers face as a result of AI-generated content infringing on their copyrighted material.
The NMA's submission to the Copyright Office underscores the urgency of addressing these issues and finding solutions to protect the rights of news publishers.
Proposed solutions
To combat these challenges, the NMA has put forward several recommendations. First, they propose that the Copyright Office recognises the harmful impact of using a publication's content to monetise AI systems.
Additionally, the NMA calls for the implementation of various licensing models and transparency measures to restrict the use of copyrighted materials. The alliance also suggests adopting measures to remove protected content from third-party websites.
AI & the future of news
While generative AI has its benefits, the ongoing dispute between AI developers and news publishers highlights the need for a balanced approach that respects copyright and intellectual property. Publications and journalists themselves are utilising AI for tasks such as proofreading, idea generation, and search engine optimisation. Nevertheless, striking the right balance between innovation and the protection of copyright remains a significant challenge.
Comedian Sarah Silverman's lawsuit against OpenAI and Meta, alleging the unauthorised use of her copyrighted work for AI training, is just one example of the legal challenges AI developers face.
As this debate unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Copyright Office and the tech industry will address the complex issues surrounding AI-generated content and copyright infringement.
