Several of Canada’s largest news outlets are suing OpenAI, claiming the company is illegally using their articles to train ChatGPT. Media organizations like the Toronto Star, CBC, and The Globe and Mail have united in this lawsuit. This is reportedly the first lawsuit of its kind in Canada.
The group argues that OpenAI’s actions violate copyright laws, as the company uses news articles for commercial gain. They believe journalism should serve the public interest, not be exploited for profit.
Lawsuit Details and Claims
OpenAI asserts that its models are trained on publicly available data and operate under fair use principles. The company also claims to collaborate with news publishers, offering them options to opt out of having their content used in ChatGPT. However, the Canadian coalition argues that OpenAI ignores safeguards, such as paywalls or copyright disclaimers, that protect content. They accuse the company of scraping content from Canadian media to develop its products without permission.
The media outlets are seeking damages of C$20,000 per article used to train ChatGPT. This could amount to billions in compensation. They also want OpenAI to share profits made from their content and prevent future use.
This lawsuit follows similar actions in the United States, including a case from the New York Times. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that OpenAI is valued at C$219 billion after a successful round of fundraising.