The legal battle between Indian news agency ANI and AI giant OpenAI has intensified, with allegations of copyright infringement making headlines. ANI claims that OpenAI has used its content without authorization to train its ChatGPT software. In response, OpenAI asserts that the content was only used for search purposes, not for training its AI models.
Background of the Dispute
In November, OpenAI assured the Delhi High Court that it had blocklisted ANI’s domain to prevent further use of the news agency’s content for AI training. However, ANI has accused the AI company of continuing to scrape its content through third-party websites, violating its copyright.
Advocate Siddhant Kumar, representing ANI, argued that even if content is licensed to other organizations, ANI retains copyright control. He emphasized that OpenAI’s use of ANI’s material without a proper license results in commercial exploitation, undermining ANI’s rights.
OpenAI’s Defense
OpenAI, represented by senior advocate Amit Sibal, rejected ANI’s accusations. Sibal argued that the AI firm’s use of publicly available data for search does not amount to copyright infringement. He further emphasized that OpenAI’s search results do not reproduce ANI’s content verbatim and thus do not breach copyright laws.
Sibal stated, “No copyright exists in freely available news content. The use of ANI’s material for search purposes does not violate the court’s orders.” He further noted that OpenAI had made significant efforts to comply with legal guidelines.
Industry Implications
The ANI vs. OpenAI case has gained widespread attention, with industry bodies such as the Indian Music Industry, the Federation of Indian Publishers, and the Digital News Publishers Association supporting ANI’s stance. The outcome of this legal dispute could set a precedent for how AI companies access and use copyrighted content.
Additionally, the case raises broader concerns about AI’s impact on intellectual property rights. While OpenAI has secured content licensing agreements with international publishers like News Corp and The Guardian, it has not made similar deals in India.
Next Steps
The Delhi High Court has scheduled the next hearing for March 28. The court will deliberate on both the jurisdictional challenges raised by OpenAI and the merits of ANI’s claims. With AI rapidly evolving, this case could shape future legal frameworks governing the use of copyrighted content in AI applications.
As the debate continues, stakeholders across the media and tech industries await a verdict that could redefine copyright laws in the age of artificial intelligence.
