Microsoft and OpenAI are still playing the fair use card — even as ChatGPT and Copilot fuel the “death knell for local journalism”
A group of publishers has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI, alleging copyright infringement over the use of online content to train AI models like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. The defendants argue that copyright law does not explicitly prohibit using online content for AI model training, invoking fair use protections. The dispute highlights growing tension between AI companies’ data needs and content creators’ rights. Publishers argue that the widespread use of their material to train AI systems threatens local journalism and content production industries. The case reflects broader legal uncertainty around AI training practices and intellectual property, with companies like Google also competing in the AI space. The outcome could significantly impact how AI companies source training data and may establish legal precedent for fair use in machine learning contexts.