On Friday, the New York Daily News, along with news organizations from MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing, revised their lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming that Microsoft encouraged users to plagiarize the work of their journalists.
Within an updated filing presented to the Manhattan Federal Court, the legal representatives of these news outlets and The New York Times asserted that Microsoft played an active role in encouraging users to reproduce journalists' reporting.
According to the revised complaint, Microsoft is accused of “expressly” fostering this infringement by OpenAI. The document states, “Microsoft intentionally induced OpenAI’s infringement by actively encouraging OpenAI’s infringement.”
A notable instance referenced in the complaint involves Abbey Mastracco, a Mets beat writer for the Daily News. The lawsuit quotes ChatGPT as telling a user who requested information about “what the Mets see in Julio Teheran,” to “[f]eel free to incorporate this information into your blog.”
The various plaintiffs, including The News, The Times, and other associated outlets, allege that OpenAI has misappropriated journalistic content, contending that the AI-generated chatbots often misrepresent their stolen work by offering distorted or inaccurate summaries.
The agencies claim that this appropriation negatively impacts their ability to monetize original content. “Defendants’ illegal use and distribution of the Publishers’ Works damages the Publishers’ ability to attract and retain paying subscribers while at the same time eroding the Publishers’ ability to engage in and maintain licensing agreements with other publishers of news and information,” the complaint states.
As more individuals turn to AI for their news consumption—a trend noted by the tech companies during ongoing legal proceedings—the implications of this shift are becoming increasingly significant.
Frank Pine, executive editor at MediaNews Group, remarked in a statement that the examples provided in the updated complaint are incredibly telling. “The evidence continues to prove that OpenAI stole our journalism to help them become among the world’s most valuable companies, and this updated legal filing is intended to shine the spotlight on precisely why they are liable for billions and billions of dollars in damages,” Pine stated.
Additionally, the legal team representing the news outlets has sought to dismiss one claim in the lawsuit, specifically the allegation of contributory copyright infringement.
The News has attempted to contact representatives from OpenAI and Microsoft for their comments, but both parties have denied any wrongdoing.
