OpenAI has responded to the New York Times’ copyright lawsuit by requesting the dismissal of specific sections, claiming that the newspaper paid someone to ‘hack’ its ChatGPT system to produce misleading evidence for the case. OpenAI did not name who allegedly ‘hacked’ its systems and clarified that they do not accuse the newspaper of violating anti-hacking laws. Instead, OpeanAI contends that the Times caused the company’s technology to reproduce material through misleading prompts that violated the terms of use.

The New York Times’ attorney, Ian Crosby, contends that OpenAI’s accusation of ‘hacking’ is a misrepresentation. Instead, he asserts it involves using OpenAI’s tools to search for proof of alleged theft and reproduction of The Times’ copyrighted material, challenging the characterization of their actions.

Why does it matter?

In December 2023, the New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of copyright infringement for allegedly using the newspaper’s articles to train chatbots. Tech companies argue that AI systems fairly use copyrighted material, while media organizations express concerns about potentially infringing their intellectual property rights. This legal battle reflects broader industry challenges surrounding the intersection of AI, copyright law, and media content, with significant implications for the future landscape of AI development and intellectual property protection.