Bestselling Authors Unite in Landmark Lawsuit Against OpenAI, Including George RR Martin

Summary

Renowned authors, such as Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin, have collectively initiated legal action against OpenAI for unauthorized utilization of their copyrighted material in the development of an artificial intelligence.

The authors claim the right to choose whether their works are utilized and should receive compensation from OpenAI for the utilization of their data.

Notable authors like John Grisham, Michael Connelly, and Jodi Picoult are part of the class action lawsuit.

Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin and a group of other writers have sued OpenAI, the company responsible for the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT. OpenAI's AI models are trained using extensive datasets to imitate human writing.

According to Deadline, The Authors Guild and a renowned authors' collective have filed a class action lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the unauthorized use of their copyrighted works as "training data." The plaintiffs, including John Grisham, George R.R. Martin, and Michael Connelly, assert that their work has been utilized without their consent and that authors should have the choice to permit the use of their works and receive compensation. Below is the full list of plaintiffs mentioned in the class action complaint.

Authors Guild, David Baldacci, Mary Bly, Michael Connelly, Sylvia Day, Jonathan Franzen, John Grisham, Elin Hilderbrand, Christine Baker Kline, Maya Shanbhag Lang, Victor LaValle, George R. R. Martin, Jodi Picoult, Douglas Preston, Roxana Robinson, George Saunders, Scott Turow, and Rachel Vail, both individually and on behalf of others similarly situated,

Why This OpenAI Lawsuit Is So Important

The outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications in various creative fields, although it is focused primarily on written works like novels and short stories. Notably, many of the authors involved in this case exert significant influence in the film and television industries. For instance, George R. R. Martin has successfully built a massive HBO empire with Game of Thrones, while Michael Connelly, the author of The Lincoln Lawyer, has contributed to Netflix's content. Many other authors on the list have also seen their works adapted multiple times for the screen.

The outcome of this class action lawsuit may potentially cover works that have been adapted from these authors' works. Furthermore, it could serve as a catalyst for a series of similar lawsuits across different mediums. The creative community has already extensively voiced their opposition to the use of AI in their respective industries. AI regulation is a significant matter that is at the heart of ongoing strikes in Hollywood, as well as the fights for equitable compensation by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

It is uncertain how this lawsuit will unfold. However, as prominent figures like George R. R. Martin join the discussion, public awareness surrounding the need for ethical AI regulation will likely grow. While the situation has yet to reach a critical point, this lawsuit serves as another indication of increasing tensions.

Source: Deadline