In New Delhi, legal documents reveal that digital news units owned by Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, along with media outlets like the Indian Express and the Hindustan Times, are participating in legal actions against OpenAI for unauthorized use of copyrighted content.
Globally, courts are seeing cases where authors, news organizations, and musicians are accusing tech companies of using their copyrighted material to train AI services without consent or compensation.
India, with over 690 million smartphone users due to affordable data plans, is considered a crucial market by OpenAI.
Indian media, including NDTV and Network18 owned by Adani and Ambani respectively, are seeking to join an existing lawsuit against the creators of ChatGPT over concerns that their news content is being used without permission by the AI tool.
The legal filing by news publishers, obtained by Reuters, alleges that OpenAI's actions pose a significant threat to the copyrights of Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) members and other outlets, citing the unauthorized use and modification of content.
OpenAI responded by stating that they maintain constructive partnerships with news organizations worldwide, including in India, and are using publicly available data in line with fair use principles to develop their AI models.
The Indian media companies involved in the case have yet to respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
The global AI market is projected to grow significantly by 2027, with India expected to follow suit, according to industry reports.
The intervention by Indian media outlets will bolster ANI's legal battle against OpenAI, marking a high-profile development in the ongoing dispute.
A hearing for ANI's lawsuit is scheduled for next week, as OpenAI continues to defend its position in court filings.
In their submission, Indian publishers assert that OpenAI's activities in India lack legal compliance and could weaken the press, contrary to the interests of a vibrant democracy.
The Indian media also raised concerns about OpenAI's business model, stating that their practices in India are at odds with the law and could harm the creative works of the media industry.
OpenAI, which made its initial Indian hire last year, aims to capitalize on the country's youthful demographic and growing user base for ChatGPT, following the AI tool's widespread adoption.
Having made substantial investments and amidst growing interest in generative AI, OpenAI is striving to maintain a leading position in the AI landscape post its successful funding round last year.