Court Hearing on Copyright Case:
- The Delhi High Court is hearing a copyright infringement case filed by Asian News International (ANI) against OpenAI for allegedly using publicly available content to train ChatGPT.
Relevance : GS 2(Judiciary), GS 3(Technology)
OpenAI’s Jurisdiction Argument:
- OpenAI argues that it cannot besuedinIndiancourts for copyright infringement.
- The company’s terms of use stipulate that disputes must be resolved either through arbitration or legal action in California courts, governed by California law.
Industry Bodies Intervene:
- Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) and the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) have intervened in the case, joining ANI’s allegations.
Court’s Approach:
- Justice Amit Bansal indicated that the court will address the jurisdiction question alongside other aspects of the case, allowing the hearings to proceed.
- The court has issued a notice to OpenAI regarding the interventions by DNPA and FIP, with a response due in two weeks to determine if their involvement in the case will be admitted.
Legal Assistance for the Court:
- The court has appointed two friends-of-the-court:
- Arul George Scaria (Professor at National Law School of India University (NLSIU)).
- Adarsh Ramanujan (Advocate in Delhi and Chennai).
- These experts will assist the court in outlining the legal issues in the case.
Broader Implications:
- Dr. Scaria stated that the litigation could have significant implications for the future of AI research, development, and deployment in India, with long-term consequences for the industry.
Accusations Against OpenAI:
- ANI, along with FIP and DNPA, accuses OpenAI of unlawfully using their publicly available content to train its AI models, which they argue constitutes copyright infringement.
