Ziff Davis files lawsuit against OpenAI over ChatGPT's use of copyrighted works

Digital media publisher Ziff Davis filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in Delaware federal court on Thursday, accusing the Microsoft-backed AI company of improperly using its publications to train the model behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT.

Ziff Davis claims that OpenAI "intentionally and relentlessly" exploited copyrighted content for its AI systems, as outlined in the lawsuit.

The media company argues that OpenAI is moving quickly without considering the potential consequences for content owners, assuming that federal courts will not be able to address the concerns in time. This legal action adds to a growing list of high-stakes copyright cases from news outlets, authors, artists, and others who accuse OpenAI and other tech companies of using copyrighted works without permission to train their generative AI systems.

Ziff Davis' portfolio includes well-known tech news outlets like ZDNet, PCMag, CNET, IGN, and the advice website Lifehacker. Other news publishers, including the New York Times and Dow Jones, have also filed lawsuits against AI companies for similar copyright violations.

In response, OpenAI and other defendants, including Google and Meta Platforms, have defended their use of copyrighted materials, stating that their AI systems rely on fair use by analyzing publicly available data to create new, transformative content.

An OpenAI spokesperson reiterated that its models "empower innovation" and are grounded in fair use.