Fascinating, I didn’t notice this angle to content authors’ concerns before.
Unlike authors who appear most concerned about retaining the option to remove their books from OpenAI’s training models, the Times has other concerns about AI tools like ChatGPT. NPR reported that a “top concern” is that ChatGPT could use The Times’ content to become a “competitor” by “creating text that answers questions based on the original reporting and writing of the paper’s staff.”
As of this month, the Times’ TOS prohibits any use of its content for “the development of any software program, including, but not limited to, training a machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) system.”
Now it seems clear that this update provides the Times with an extra layer of protection as NPR reports that the media outlet is seemingly reconsidering a licensing deal with OpenAI. That licensing deal would have ensured that OpenAI paid for NYT content used to train its models. According to NPR, meetings between OpenAI and the Times have become “contentious,” making the deal appear increasingly unlikely as the Times seemingly weighs whether any licensing deal would be worth participating in, as the resulting product could become its fiercest competitor.
Via Ars Technica
Flying Upside Down 