A group of writers, including Michael Chabon, David Henry Hwang, Rachel Louise Snyder, and Ayelet Waldman, have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the company illegally used their copyrighted works to train its AI ChatGPT chatbot. The lawsuit seeks class-action status and claims that OpenAI’s use of the writers’ content enables ChatGPT to summarize and analyze their works. The writers argue that this constitutes copyright infringement as the outputs are considered derivative works. This is not the first lawsuit of its kind, as other authors have taken legal action against OpenAI for similar reasons. The lawsuit also calls for OpenAI to cease unlawful business practices and requests damages for copyright violations.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authors suing OpenAI over AI Chatbot training | Legal action against unauthorized use of works | Stricter regulations on AI training data | Protection of authors’ rights |
| Lawsuit seeks class-action status | Seeking collective legal action | Greater accountability for AI training data | Strengthening authors’ rights |
| Authors calling for consent and compensation | Demand for fair treatment and compensation | Improved recognition and compensation | Fairness and recognition for authors |
| Multiple lawsuits against OpenAI for copyright | Legal action against copyright infringement | Legal precedents and guidelines | Establishing legal boundaries for AI training data |
| Request to stop unfair business practices | Demanding ethical conduct in AI development | Ethical guidelines and regulations | Ensuring fair and ethical AI practices |
| Authors seeking damages and penalties | Seeking compensation for copyright violations | Legal consequences for copyright breaches | Protection of intellectual property |