In the United States, approximately 60 lawsuits initiated by authors and rights holders against companies developing artificial intelligence technologies are currently under active consideration.
More than 800 representatives of creative professions have signed an open letter accusing tech companies of 'theft' of copyrighted works to train their AI models.
Among the signatories are well-known writers, musicians, and actors, such as Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, the band R.E.M., and the creator of the series "Breaking Bad," Vince Gilligan. This letter was published as part of the Stealing Isn’t Innovation initiative by the Human Artistry Campaign.
In the letter, the authors urge companies to engage in 'ethical' collaborations rather than 'thefts' of intellectual property.
Companies working with artificial intelligence are facing numerous lawsuits regarding copyright infringement related to the unauthorized use of protected works to train their models; the outcomes of these legal disputes are still unclear.
“The American creative community is envied worldwide for creating jobs and contributing to economic growth and exports,” the open letter emphasizes.
“However, instead of respecting and protecting this valuable asset, some of the largest tech companies, many of which are backed by private investment funds, are using the works of American authors to build their AI platforms without proper permission and in violation of copyright laws.”
Currently, about 60 lawsuits against AI companies are still being considered in the U.S., and similar cases are also being pursued in Europe.
To train their models, companies upload vast amounts of data into their systems, including text materials, images, music, and videos. These models analyze the data to create new content.
However, a significant portion of this material is collected from the internet without the consent of rights holders, including books, articles, artworks, photographs, and musical compositions. Companies argue that this can be classified as 'fair use,' while representatives of the arts insist that it constitutes illegal copying, undermining their income and intellectual property rights.
In 2024, Scarlett Johansson criticized OpenAI after the Advanced Voice feature began sounding similar to her voice from the 2013 film "Her." The actress's legal representatives sent letters to OpenAI stating that the company had no rights to use a voice resembling hers. As a result, OpenAI suspended the use of the "Sky" voice.
