HC summons OpenAI in ANI copyright infringement plea

Agency says ChatGPT owner does not have the right to exploit or create copies of its content

- Krishna Yadav

The Delhi high court on Tuesday issued summons to US-based OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, in response to a copyright infringement plea filed by news agency ANI.

In the first-ever lawsuit against OpenAI in India, ANI claimed that ChatGPT falsely attributed political news to the agency, which could lead to the spread of fake news and potentially cause public disorder.

The single bench, led by Justice Amit Bansal, declined to pass any injunction in favor of ANI for now, noting that the case is the first of its kind and complex, requiring further deliberation.

The court appointed an amicus curiae to assist in the matter and scheduled the case for further hearing in January.

ANI argued that misuse of content could harm its reputation and credibility. The agency also contended that there is a public interest angle to the case, as the incorrect attribution of political content could have far-reaching consequences.

The ANI counsel argued that just because news content is publicly available, it does not grant OpenAI the right to exploit or create copies of it for storage.