Several more authors have joined the growing list of plaintiffs suing OpenAI for copyright infringement, escalating the legal battle against generative AI companies that use their books to train AI models. The Authors Guild and 17 well-known authors, including Jonathan Franzen, John Grisham, George R.R. Martin, and Jodi Picoult, filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs are seeking to have the filing classified as a class action lawsuit.
In the complaint, the authors allege that OpenAI “copied plaintiffs’ works wholesale, without permission or consideration” and used the copyrighted materials to train large language models (LLMs). They argue that OpenAI’s actions endanger the livelihoods of fiction writers by allowing anyone to generate text that they would otherwise have to pay writers to create. The authors also express concerns that OpenAI’s LLMs could create derivative works that mimic, summarize, or paraphrase their books, potentially harming their market.
The complaint further argues that OpenAI could have trained their language models on works in the public domain instead of using copyrighted material without paying a licensing fee. By doing so, OpenAI is accused of disregarding the rights of authors and potentially undermining their ability to earn a living from their creative works.
When contacted by The Verge, OpenAI did not immediately provide a comment regarding the lawsuit. This lawsuit represents the latest legal action against OpenAI by prominent authors. Notably, George R.R. Martin, author of the popular series “Game of Thrones,” and John Grisham, whose books have been adapted into successful films, are among the plaintiffs alleging copyright infringement. This highlights the significant impact AI technology has on the publishing industry, compelling renowned authors to take legal action to protect their intellectual property rights.
This is not OpenAI’s first encounter with copyright infringement lawsuits from authors. In September, writer Michael Chabon, known for his work “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay,” and others sued the company for using their books to train their GPT AI model. Comedian Sarah Silverman and authors Christopher Golden and Richard Kadrey have also taken legal action against OpenAI and Meta, while Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad filed their complaint in June. These lawsuits reflect the ongoing challenges faced by generative AI companies, not only in the text generation realm but also with AI image platforms, where similar legal battles have been fought.
The potential legal ramifications for OpenAI and other AI companies are becoming increasingly apparent. Microsoft, a partner of OpenAI, recently announced that it would take responsibility for any legal action brought against commercial users of its Copilot AI service. This move highlights the significance of addressing copyright concerns and the mounting pressure on AI companies to comply with copyright laws and protect the interests of content creators.
As the intersection between AI technology and creative works widens, the legal landscape surrounding copyright infringement continues to evolve. It remains to be seen how these lawsuits will impact the future development and deployment of AI models, particularly in relation to the use of copyrighted material for training purposes. The outcome of these cases could shape the legal framework governing the use of AI in generating content and the rights of authors in an increasingly digital age.
