Media Alliance Blasts Microsoft, OpenAI for Stealing Content ‘on a Massive Scale’

The News/Media Alliance hailed Tuesday’s complaint in which eight local newspapers alleged that Microsoft and OpenAI violated copyright law by using millions of the newspapers’ copyright-protected articles in the training of their generative AI bots (see 2404300034). “We continue to support our members who are fighting against these companies that repurpose and monetize news content without permission or payment,” said alliance President-CEO Danielle Coffey in a statement Tuesday. “AI companies recognize the value of this content, evidenced by marketplace arrangements, and they rely on quality content to train their systems,” she said. “The continued unconstrained use by AI companies of publishers’ valuable content without proper compensation is unlawful, and we support efforts to hold Big Tech accountable for what amounts to stealing on a massive scale. No company should be above the law.” The alliance says it represents more than 2,200 news, magazine and digital media organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the U.S. and globally.