DOJ Backs OpenAI, Microsoft in 2023 NYT Suit as AI Training Fair-Use Fight Widens
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 2
DOJ Backs OpenAI, Microsoft in 2023 NYT Suit as AI Training Fair-Use Fight Widens
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 2
Summary
A Justice Department filing urged the judge to reject The New York Times’ copyright claims against OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing AI training on the paper’s articles should be treated as fair use.
The department said limiting large language model training would hurt U.S. national security, scientific progress and competition, warning that mandatory licensing fees could entrench the biggest tech firms by raising barriers for smaller AI developers.
The Times, which sued in 2023 and is seeking damages plus an order to stop the practice, said the administration was siding with trillion-dollar AI companies over creators whose work was used without payment.
The case is one of several testing whether books, articles and other internet content can be used to train AI models without compensation, even as some publishers have struck paid licensing deals with OpenAI.