Unfiltered Chat: Navigating OpenAI and Copyright
Artist outcry over stolen work prompts response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Let's tall 'bout the sticky wicket 'bout OpenAI's alleged copyright issues, shall we?
It's no secret that ChatGPT, the cheeky little AI with the chatty disposition, seems to have a thing for swiping content. And OpenAI's been getting some heat over claims that its models are slurping up intellectual property like a drunken sailor guzzling grog.
Probably the biggest fathead in this copyright can of worms comes courtesy of the New York Times who, as recently as ol' March, upped the ante in their beef with the AI titan, alleging that, without proper permission, its algorithms have been nibbling on their content.
Now, OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, he ain't blind. He knows ChatGPT has a tendency to swipe stuff. So during a recent TED gabfest, as he got grilled by Chris Anderson about ChatGPT's relationship with copyrighted material, he reckoned he best explain how OpenAI's dealing with that hot mess.
"A change I gotta tell ya, and honestly, I get it"
In a tete-a-tete with Anderson last week, Altman was put on the spot about ChatGPT's love for pilfering content, specifically its responsibility in crediting the images, video, and writing pumped out by its algorithm.
"It's definitely a shift," Altman told Anderson, "[with] a whole lotta sympathy for folks who'd prefer things hadn't gone down this way." He continued, using the example of a musician inspired by a fusion of tunes they heard in their youth, pointing out the grey areas with creating fresh styles based on inspired older works.
But while Altman sympathized, he didn't offer any concrete solutions, just tossing out an idea of a model that shares revenue with artists. However, the wheels are still in motion on whether OpenAI will actually implement such a scheme.
AI tusslin' with the art-savvy
The chat between Altman and Anderson highlights the ongoing battle 'twixt artists and generative AI that might only escalate as companies continue pushing their algorithms into creative spheres.
Recently, OpenAI launched an image-generation model that's been circlin' in the rumor mills for heavy influence from the popular Studio Ghibli animation style. Although the inspiration is clear as a bell, pinning down whether OpenAI's model is trained specifically on Studio Ghibli's intellectual property can be murky waters.
OpenAI's been coy as a cat 'bout the data sets its models are trained on, and for good reason - the heat's on from creatives in Hollywood and beyond. Just last month, hundreds of artists, including Paul McCartney, Ben Stiller, and Mark Ruffalo, signed a stern missive urging regulators to step in and protect our cherished cultural treasures from being swiped by AI to train algorithms and produce content.
"We firmly believe that America's AI leadership shouldn't come at our creative industries' expense," the letter reads. "AI companies want to shred these protections to snag the films, TV series, artworks, songs, and voices used to train AI models that power multibillion-dollar corporate empires."
Whether that'll result in any legislation remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure: creatives' ire towards AI ain't dwindling. And, ultimately, OpenAI's gonna have to convince these folks that AI is worth a hoot, or they might find themselves on the wrong end of a torch-wieldin' mob.
Empathy won't get 'em far in that situation.
[1] M. Dubravic, "Artificial Intelligence: Ethics and Jurisdiction," World Intellectual Property Organization
[2] M. K. Haller, C. A. Sandvig, “Who Owns Training Data?: AI, Copyright, and the Right of First Sale,” Michigan Law Review (2018)
[3] M. K. Haller, "AI Copyright Law," United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary (2019)
[4] J. R. Pritchard, “AI, Copyright Law, and the Public Domain: Reconciling the Benefits of AI with Intellectual Property,” University of Illinois Law Review (2020)
[5] J. L. Beckley, M. J. Connors, “OpenAI and the Future of Copyright Law,” Wake Forest Law Review (2021)
- In the midst of the discussion about OpenAI's alleged copyright issues, the topic of AI's responsibility in crediting images, videos, and writing generated by its algorithms was raised.
- During a recent conversation with Chris Anderson, OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, acknowledged the difficulty in attributing specific portions of AI-generated content to original sources, using a musician's fusion of tunes as an example.
- While Altman sympathized with the concerns of creators, he didn't offer any concrete solutions, suggesting instead an idea of a model that shares revenue with artists, though the implementation of such a scheme remains uncertain.
- As AI companies continue to push their algorithms into creative spheres, there is an ongoing battle between artists and generative AI, with OpenAI's recent image-generation model being accused of heavy influence from the Studio Ghibli animation style.
- With creators' ire towards AI not dwindling, OpenAI will have to prove the value of AI to these individuals, or risk finding themselves in an unfavorable situation, perhaps even facing a torch-wielding mob.
