Government intervention in AI copyright case
The Trump administration has thrown its weight behind OpenAI in a lawsuit filed by the New York Times, arguing that using copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence should be permitted. The Times accuses OpenAI and its main backer, Microsoft, of using millions of articles without permission to train the chatbot. Other newspapers have joined the suit, which was first filed in 2023.[S1]
On Tuesday, the U.S. government filed an advisory brief in a Manhattan federal court, marking its first intervention in the ongoing debate over AI and copyright. While the brief is not legally binding, it may support tech firms facing similar litigation. The government stressed the need to foster a competitive AI sector and maintain U.S. leadership in the field.[S1]
Arguments over fair use and transformation
The central question is whether AI's use of copyrighted material for training constitutes fair use because it produces new, transformative works. The government sided with tech companies, describing AI training as 'extraordinarily' transformative. It argued that restricting AI development based on a flawed interpretation of fair use would impede progress and harm American economic interests.[S1]
The government's stance was echoed by US associate attorney general Stanley Woodward Jr, who stated that AI dominance is critical for national security and economic mobility. Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick also urged G20 officials to embrace fair use and allow AI companies to train on creators' work while finding ways to protect artists.[S1]
