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Indian Publishers Take Legal Action Against OpenAI Over Copyright

By  |  January 26, 2025

Indian book publishers, in collaboration with their global counterparts, have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in New Delhi. The case, filed at the Delhi High Court, is the latest in a series of legal actions worldwide, challenging the use of proprietary content by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and similar AI systems.

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    According to Reuters, the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) announced the lawsuit on Friday, arguing that OpenAI has been accessing copyrighted materials without permission for training its AI models, specifically in relation to book summaries generated by ChatGPT. The case was filed on behalf of several prominent publishing houses, including Bloomsbury, Penguin Random House, Cambridge University Press, Pan Macmillan, as well as Indian publishers such as Rupa Publications and S. Chand & Co.

    Pranav Gupta, the general secretary of FIP, emphasized that the lawsuit seeks to prevent OpenAI from using their copyrighted content. “Our ask from the court is that they should stop OpenAI from accessing our copyright content,” Gupta explained in an interview, as reported by Reuters. He further added that, should OpenAI be unwilling to engage in licensing agreements, it should delete the datasets used to train its AI and provide clarity on compensation for the content. Gupta voiced concerns that the current use of these materials is detrimental to creativity and intellectual property.

    Read more: FTC Raises Antitrust Concerns Over Big Tech’s AI Partnerships

    OpenAI has not issued a public comment regarding the allegations or the lawsuit, which was initially filed in December but has gained attention now. The company has consistently denied claims of wrongdoing, asserting that its AI systems make fair use of publicly available data.

    This lawsuit is part of a broader global trend where authors, publishers, and other content creators are pushing back against the tech giants behind generative AI. These entities have argued that their intellectual property is being exploited without proper permission or compensation. Courts in various countries are currently hearing similar cases, and the outcome of these legal battles could have significant implications for the future of AI development.

    Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, OpenAI has sparked a wave of investment and technological advancements in the AI industry, with the company raising $6.6 billion last year alone. Despite its success and widespread adoption, OpenAI now faces mounting legal challenges as it navigates the complex landscape of intellectual property and the ethical use of data.

    Source: Reuters