When ChatGPT launched last year, it took the tech world by storm due to the role it can play both as a smart coding assistant and, more generally, to help speed up the writing process for people in almost any walk of life. Since then, generative AI systems for a variety of uses have gained fans the world over. However, there are some potential legal issues on the horizon.
In the US, an AI-based software platform owned by Microsoft - GitHub Copilot - and OpenAI, which supplied the open-source code for training purposes, are facing a class-action lawsuit over alleged copyright infringement. The case was filed by programmer and lawyer Matthew Butterick and several anonymous members of the open-source community.
On the face of it, Microsoft, Github and OpenAI appear to have a robust defence, arguing that the complaints should be thrown out due to ‘lack of injury’ and ‘lack of an otherwise viable claim’. Importantly, Microsoft’s defence lawyers claim that...