Several prominent news organisations, including The New York Times, CNN, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), has taken a significant step by blocking Microsoft-backed OpenAI's access to their content for training its AI models. Notably, this decision affects OpenAI's web crawler, named GPTBot, which scours web pages to enhance the capabilities of its AI models.
Reportedly, the New York Times, in particular, has made a substantial move by prohibiting OpenAI from using its content to train its AI models. This move has been widely reported, with The Verge noting that the Sam Altman-led company is now restricted from using content from The New York Times to refine its AI models. The essence of OpenAI's web crawler, known as GPTBot, is to analyse web pages and improve the organisation's AI models.
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The company has been an advocate for enabling GPTBot to access websites, as this practice contributes to enhanced accuracy, capabilities, and safety of AI models. OpenAI mentioned that allowing GPTBot to scan websites can lead to AI models that are more precise and robust in various applications.
According to IANS, the New York Times recently updated its terms of service to explicitly prevent the use of its content for AI model training. CNN has similarly taken measures, confirming that it has blocked GPTBot's access across its digital platforms. This trend is echoed by other news outlets, including the likes of the Chicago Tribune and Australian Community Media (ACM).
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The tension between The New York Times and OpenAI has escalated to the point where the publication is exploring potential legal actions. This stems from ongoing negotiations centered on a licensing deal. Under this deal, OpenAI would compensate The New York Times for incorporating its stories into AI tools. The discussions, however, have reportedly become highly contentious, with the possibility of legal action now looming.
If a lawsuit were to be pursued against OpenAI, it could result in a landmark legal battle concerning copyright protection within the realm of generative AI.
Inputs from IANS
