The statement also contradicts U.S. copyright law, which does not differentiate between different types of content and protects original works of authorship, including computer software. This has led to several AI companies facing lawsuits for using data from the open web to train their AI models. Microsoft, which uses OpenAI’s products for its own AI offerings, is among those being sued for unlawful use of content.
Key takeaways:
- Microsoft's AI chief, Mustafa Suleyman, suggested that content posted on the open web should be treated as 'freeware' and is fair game for anyone to copy, recreate, or reproduce.
- This statement contradicts Microsoft's own licensing terms, which are very protective of its intellectual property and prohibit the unauthorized use of its software.
- U.S. copyright law does not distinguish between different types of content, including software, and does not automatically invalidate copyright protection for works published online.
- Several AI companies, including Microsoft, are facing lawsuits for allegedly using content from the open web without permission to train their AI models.