'Wilful scraping' of content: Indian publishers sue OpenAI
text_fieldsNew Delhi: Major Indian media outlets, such as The Indian Express, HindustanTimes, NDTV, owned by Adani Group, and Network 18, owned by Ambani, have moved legally against ChatGpt’s creator OpenAi for using their copyrighted content without authorisation, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, not only these news houses but several authors, musicians, etc., in India have approached the courts, accusing ChatGpt of using their content without appropriate authority or compensation. With more than 690 million smartphone users in India who have access to affordable data plans, the country has become a key market for OpenAI.
Reuters reported that the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), representing Indian publishers, expressed concerns about the unauthorised scrapping and reproduction of digital content they authored by AI tools. OpenAI’s actions threaten their copyrights and disrupt the balance of power in the digital advertising ecosystem. The organisation has filed a 135-page lawsuit including all these and accusing AI services of “wilful scraping” for their services.
According to the filing, the tech companies dominate in prioritising content and monopolising advertising revenue.
The DNPA represents some 20 companies, including major players in the news field, such as the India Today Group, Zee New, and Dainik Bhaskar. However, Times of India, which is also a member of the organisation, has not joined the lawsuit. It also has not cited any reasons for its absence in the filing.
The news agency Asian News International has filed a separate case against OpenAI, but the firm responded to the lawsuit, arguing that Indian courts have no jurisdiction over copyright claims as its servers are located on foreign soil. It also added that felting training data would breach its obligations under US law.
When similar issues arose in the US, OpenAI decided to ink licence deals with international media outlets in late 2023 after The New York Times and Microsoft sued OpenAI.
Indian publishers pointed this out and argued that OpenAi is reluctant to make similar deals with Indian entities, which is a total disregard for Indian laws.