OpenAI the creator of ChatGPT faces a $3 billion lawsuit for alleged unauthorized acquisition of private data in AI training

OpenAI and Microsoft Sued for Allegedly Stealing Personal Information for AI Training

OpenAI Inc., the creator of ChatGPT, has been hit with a lawsuit alongside its major backer Microsoft, accusing them of stealing personal information to train their AI models. The lawsuit was filed by sixteen pseudonymous individuals who claim that the companies collected and disclosed their personal information without proper notice or consent. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, seeks $3 billion in potential damages on behalf of millions of individuals who may have been affected.

According to the complaint, OpenAI scraped 300 billion words from the internet, including personal information, without consent. The lawsuit alleges that the companies chose to gather data without paying for it, ignoring the legal means of obtaining data for their AI models. OpenAI and Microsoft are accused of collecting, storing, tracking, and disclosing various types of personal information, putting millions at risk of having their information disclosed to strangers around the world.

The Lawsuit: Alleged Theft of Personal Information

The sprawling 157-page lawsuit claims that OpenAI stole personal information by scraping the internet without consent. The complaint highlights that the companies violated privacy laws and failed to sufficiently filter out personally identifiable information from their training models. This puts individuals at risk of having their personal information disclosed to unauthorized parties. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses OpenAI and Microsoft of risking “civilizational collapse” due to the enormous amount of information they have collected and processed in their AI products.

OpenAI is known for developing text-generating language models like GPT-2, GPT-4, and ChatGPT. Microsoft has been an advocate of this technology, integrating it into various parts of its empire, including Windows and Azure. The lawsuit heavily relies on media and academic citations to express concerns about AI models and ethics but lacks specific instances of harm caused by the defendants. As of now, neither OpenAI nor Microsoft has responded to the $3 billion lawsuit.

Scepticisms Surrounding AI and Privacy

While ChatGPT and other generative AI applications are fascinating pieces of technology, concerns about privacy and misinformation have been growing. A global movement to limit the usage of AI has emerged, with the US Congress currently debating the potential dangers of AI and its impact on creative industries and the ability to discern truth from fiction.

OpenAI’s co-founders and CEO have themselves called for stricter regulations on “super-intelligent” AIs to prevent potential catastrophic risks. The need for an agency like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to oversee the use of AI globally has been emphasized. This skepticism has been further fueled by instances such as a court case where ChatGPT provided false supporting cases, and the recent allegations of OpenAI scraping personal information.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that OpenAI misappropriated personal data in its pursuit of winning the “AI arms race.” They allege that OpenAI illegally accessed private information from individuals’ interactions with ChatGPT and integrated applications. This includes gathering data from platforms like Snapchat, Spotify, Stripe, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of prioritizing profits over its original mission of benefiting humanity, estimating ChatGPT’s expected revenue for 2023 at $200 million.

Editor Notes

This lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft raises significant concerns about privacy and the ethical use of AI. The allegations of unauthorized collection and disclosure of personal information highlight the need for strict regulations and safeguards in the development and implementation of AI technologies. It is crucial for companies to prioritize the protection of user data and obtain proper consent for data usage. OpenAI and Microsoft should address these allegations and take appropriate measures to ensure the privacy and security of individuals using their AI products.

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