Indian Publishers Sue OpenAI Over Copyright Violation in Training ChatGPT

Indian publishers sue OpenAI for using copyrighted books without consent to train ChatGPT, sparking concerns over AI and intellectual property.

on Jan 27, 2025

Publishers Accuse OpenAI of Copyright Violation

Indian and international publishers file their lawsuit

Several Indian and foreign publishers have now filed a lawsuit against OpenAI on the grounds of copyright infringement where the company utilized copyrighted books without permission to train its chatbot AI, ChatGPT. Filing the lawsuit are, among others, Bloomsbury, Penguin Random House, Cambridge University Press, Rupa Publications, and S. Chand and Co. The publishers believe that this illegal use jeopardizes book sales and the overall publishing business. The case is up for a New Delhi court hearing on January 28.

Demands for Compliance

The publishers state that OpenAI is violating copyright laws, citing books acquired from unauthorized copies available online. They request OpenAI to desist from the use of copyrighted material, to secure proper licenses for its use, or delete the data used in training the AI.

Effects on Creativity and Industry

Pranav Gupta, General Secretary of the Federation of Indian Publishers said that such practices by OpenAI would harm authors and publishers, stating that the former would stifle creativity and disrupt the publishing industry. Some publishers, like Penguin Random House, also include copyright disclaimers in books to prevent unauthorized use of their content by AI.

Global and Domestic Legal Challenges

This is not OpenAI’s first legal challenge in India. Previously, Asian News International (ANI) accused the company of using its news content without permission and fabricating news stories under its name. Globally, OpenAI is facing similar lawsuits from major organizations, including The New York Times, as the debate over AI’s use of copyrighted material intensifies.

This case will thus create precedent on the matter of AI and copyright law and would, in this respect, impact the future of publishing and the development of AI.