Microsoft counters New York Times’ AI lawsuit claims

In December 2023, The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, alleging that ChatGPT plagiarised its article. Microsoft responded with a motion to dismiss on March 4, 2024, criticising The New York Times‘ predictions about AI and news reporting as ‘doomsday futurology.’

In the filed brief, Microsoft argued against the claims, comparing them to past attempts by Hollywood studios to restrict technology. Financial Times reported The New York Times’ accusations of illegally copying articles to build AI programs. Microsoft‘s lawyers contended that copyright law is not a barrier to language models like ChatGPT and argued that The New York Times case was based on unrealistic prompts and misrepresenting how users interact with AI tools.

OpenAI also filed a motion to dismiss, asserting that ChatGPT does not replace a subscription to The New York Times. This lawsuit, involving multiple media outlets and authors, reflects the growing pains associated with AI technology’s advancement and underscores the need for a legal framework to address its rapid evolution while safeguarding interests.