As multiple lawsuits against AI companies unfold in the United States, creatives are voicing their concerns about the unlicensed use of their works for training large language models (LLMs).
In the UK, the government proposes changes to copyright law that would allow AI firms to train on copyrighted material without a license. In response, the Human Artistry Campaign has launched a petition, gathering over 11,500 signatures from artists, authors, and musicians. The petition states, 'The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works and must not be permitted.'
Notable signatories include Thom Yorke, Björn Ulvaeus, and Billy Bragg, who advocate for responsible AI development that supports the creative ecosystem.
In the US, companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity face lawsuits regarding their use of copyrighted materials. Anthropic claims its practices fall under 'fair use,' a defense that will soon be tested in court.
Recently, the owners of the Wall Street Journal and New York Post filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, accusing it of copyright infringement for allegedly using hundreds of thousands of their articles without permission. They argue that Perplexity's practices are un-transformative and do not qualify as fair use, as the articles are preserved in their entirety for AI recall.