ChatGPT gained significant attention in the technology industry starting in November 2022 when it was initially introduced as an AI chatbot capable of generating human-like responses. Over time, a more advanced version of the chatbot was developed, showcasing ongoing improvements. ChatGPT has found utility in various areas of people’s lives, serving as a versatile tool for tasks such as essay composition, research assistance, music creation, and even summarizing favorite books.
However, a contentious issue has emerged concerning whether OpenAI obtained proper authorization from the original content creators for training ChatGPT. This dispute has garnered the attention of renowned authors, with a group of notable writers, including Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon, taking legal action against OpenAI in a federal court in San Francisco, as reported by Reuters. These authors allege that OpenAI used their work without permission to educate ChatGPT on responding to human text prompts.
The lawsuit contends that the authors’ literary works, which encompass books, plays, and articles, play a critical role in ChatGPT’s training, as they exemplify high-quality, long-form writing. The authors argue that their content was incorporated into ChatGPT’s training data without their consent, enabling the AI chatbot to accurately summarize their books and even generate text that replicates their writing style.
In response to these allegations, the authors are seeking a ban on what they consider OpenAI’s “unfair business practices” and are pursuing unspecified monetary damages. The lawsuit requests both financial compensation and a court order to halt OpenAI’s alleged “unlawful and unfair business practices.”
This legal dispute is not an isolated incident, as OpenAI has faced previous lawsuits related to copyright infringement. In July, comedian and author Sarah Silverman, along with two other authors, made headlines by suing OpenAI over similar copyright concerns. Silverman, the author of “The Bedwetter,” claimed that ChatGPT summarily used her book’s content without her consent for training purposes. Authors Christopher Golden and Richard Kadrey, who wrote “Ararat” and “Sandman Slim,” respectively, also initiated legal action against OpenAI, demanding both a jury trial and monetary damages for the unauthorized use of their book contents.