Five prominent Canadian news media companies have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the AI giant of copyright infringement. The coalition, including Torstar, CBC/Radio-Canada, Postmedia, The Canadian Press, and The Globe and Mail, claims that OpenAI’s ChatGPT system has unlawfully scraped their content without permission or compensation. This lawsuit marks a significant legal pushback against generative AI technology in Canada.
Paul Deegan, president of News Media Canada, stated, “OpenAI is strip-mining journalism while unjustly enriching itself at the expense of content creators.” The plaintiffs argue that the company undermines journalism’s role in serving the public interest by using their content for commercial gain.
The legal action follows similar lawsuits globally. OpenAI, however, maintains that its AI systems are trained on publicly available data in compliance with fair use principles. An OpenAI spokesperson emphasized the company’s collaborations with publishers and its opt-out mechanisms for content creators.
This lawsuit comes amidst growing scrutiny of AI’s impact on intellectual property. In the U.S., OpenAI and Microsoft face parallel allegations, with Elon Musk recently expanding his lawsuit against the companies for monopolizing the AI market. Despite these challenges, OpenAI has forged partnerships with some publishers, like its recent deal with Condé Nast.
As the debate over AI and copyright intensifies, this case could set a precedent for how generative AI interacts with journalism in Canada and beyond.
