BREAKING: A coalition of news organizations, including the Orlando Sentinel and the New York Times, has just filed a motion urging a Manhattan judge to impose sanctions on OpenAI. The request comes amid explosive allegations that OpenAI deleted crucial evidence related to a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Court documents reveal that OpenAI allegedly removed millions of conversations that it was ordered to produce, potentially undermining the legal arguments of the news outlets. According to attorney Steve Lieberman, OpenAI substituted over 1 million logs with other conversations, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the evidence provided. “OpenAI has refused to answer News Plaintiffs’ questions about the deleted and substituted logs,” Lieberman stated in a letter to the court on January 5.
The ongoing legal battle centers on claims that OpenAI’s ChatGPT is utilizing and distorting copyrighted works from a variety of news organizations. The affected outlets, backed by the Authors Guild and numerous best-selling authors, assert that the AI is distributing stolen reporting that is frequently inaccurate.
Previously, Manhattan Magistrate Judge Ona Wang issued an order in November requiring OpenAI to hand over 20 million logs, a ruling confirmed by Judge Sidney Stein earlier this week. OpenAI’s failure to comply has prompted the current request for sanctions, with the news organizations asking the court to determine why the tech giant should not be held in contempt.
In a shocking twist, OpenAI allegedly engaged in “hashing,” altering the ID numbers of some conversations, making it immensely challenging for the news organizations’ lawyers to assess the material provided. “It makes it rather hard to find the evidence we’re looking for,” Lieberman noted, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Judge Stein firmly rejected OpenAI’s objections, stating that the previous rulings were not only appropriate but also essential for balancing user privacy against the relevance of the documents. In response, OpenAI has dismissed these allegations, claiming they represent a distortion of the facts regarding how their technology operates.
The news organizations are now pushing for an evidentiary hearing to address these serious concerns. As this case unfolds, the implications for copyright law and the future of AI technology in journalism are profound.
Next Steps: Legal experts are closely monitoring the situation, as the court’s decision on sanctions could set a significant precedent for how technology companies handle copyright issues. The outcome of the hearing, expected in the coming months, will be critical for both the media and the tech industry.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
