OpenAI Reportedly Negotiating Content Licensing With CNN, Fox, Time Amid New York Times Lawsuit

OpenAI, the company behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT, has been reportedly negotiating with CNN, Fox Corp., and Time regarding the licensing of their content. These discussions come amid allegations of copyright infringement raised against the startup.

What Happened: OpenAI is in negotiation with Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.’s WBD CNN, among others, to license articles, videos, and images, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. Time’s CEO Jessica Sibley confirmed the ongoing discussions with OpenAI, expressing optimism about the potential for a fair agreement.

OpenAI aims to access news content to bolster its products while simultaneously contending with accusations of copyright violation. The company plans to leverage licensed content from a variety of news, video, and digital media producers to enhance the accuracy and relevancy of its AI chatbot, ChatGPT

See Also: Microsoft’s $13B Investment In OpenAI Comes Under Scrutiny Of European Competition Regulator

Furthermore, OpenAI has been discussing with the News/Media Alliance, a trade group representing over 2,200 media outlets globally, to identify opportunities and address concerns. 

ChatGPT-parent has also managed to secure a multi-year licensing agreement with Politico’s parent company, Axel Springer SE. However, not all publishers are open to negotiation. 

The Washington Post, for example, has confirmed no recent discussions with OpenAI, and another media executive hinted at potential legal action against the startup, similar to the New York Times, the report noted. 

Why It Matters: The AI startup has been dealing with a lawsuit from the New York Times Co. NYT for purportedly using the publication’s content without authorization.

The Sam Altman-led company previously responded to the lawsuit by the New York Times, attributing the alleged copyright infringement to a "rare bug" in their system and claiming that the newspaper's accusations misrepresented the usage of data by OpenAI.

OpenAI's recent negotiations follow a series of events where the AI company was accused of copyright violations. Last year, a group of 11 nonfiction authors, including Pulitzer Prize winners, joined a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft Corporation MSFT accusing the companies of using their writings without permission for training AI programs. 

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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.