Microsoft Fights Back Against AI Lawsuits, Calls Accusations “Doomsday Hyperbole”
In a bold move to defend its involvement in AI and large language models, Microsoft is pushing back against two lawsuits that accuse the tech giant of contributing to potential doomsday scenarios. The company is dismissing the claims as either “doomsday hyperbole” or “doomsday futurology,” highlighting the escalating tensions between tech companies and media organizations.
The first lawsuit, brought by the New York Times against Microsoft and OpenAI, alleges that the defendants unlawfully copied and used the Times’s valuable works in training large language models. The Times claims that despite efforts to negotiate terms with the defendants, they have now resorted to seeking compensation through legal action.
OpenAI, on the other hand, emphasizes the importance of high-quality content, including content from the Times, in training its models. Microsoft, drawing parallels to past copyright disputes in the entertainment industry, argues that the training of these models falls under fair use and transformative use of copyrighted material.
The crux of Microsoft’s defense lies in refuting the allegations that the public’s use of large language models poses a threat to independent journalism. The company argues that the Times’s claims are based on unrealistic scenarios and do not reflect how normal users would interact with these tools.
In a separate class action lawsuit, plaintiffs accuse Microsoft and OpenAI of violating privacy and property rights by scraping digital footprints and potentially causing professional obsolescence. Microsoft counters these claims by challenging the plaintiffs to provide evidence of actual harm caused by their actions.
As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome of these lawsuits could have far-reaching implications for the development of AI and the internet. The decisions made in these cases will shape the future of technology and could impact society as a whole. The stakes are high, and the consequences could be monumental.