January 9, 2024 OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, declared that avoiding the use of copyrighted material in developing AI tools is an unfeasible task. The company made this case in a presentation to the British House of Lords.

This statement emerges amidst growing scrutiny of AI firms regarding their training content. ChatGPT, along with similar AI tools, relies on extensive internet data for training, a significant portion of which is under copyright protection. This practice recently led to a lawsuit by the New York Times against OpenAI and its major investor, Microsoft, alleging unlawful usage of its content.

In its defense, OpenAI argued that modern copyright laws encompass nearly all forms of human expression, making the use of such material indispensable for training competent AI models. Addressing the NYT lawsuit, OpenAI highlighted its support for journalism and partnerships with news organizations, claiming the lawsuit is groundless.

The company maintains that its usage of copyrighted content is justifiable under the “fair use” doctrine, which allows certain uses without explicit permission.

OpenAI also noted that they actively promote the independent evaluation of their security measures and have consented to collaborate with governments on model safety assessments.

Sources include: The Guardian