NEW YORK — A coalition of prominent news and magazine publishers has initiated a legal battle against Cohere Inc., an AI company with a valuation exceeding $5 billion. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York on February 13, alleges that Cohere engaged in extensive unauthorized use of the publishers’ copyrighted materials to develop and enhance its artificial intelligence systems. The plaintiffs, including media giants such as Condé Nast, The Atlantic, Forbes Media, and The Guardian, are seeking a permanent injunction and damages, citing massive, systematic copyright and trademark infringements.
The News/Media Alliance, a leading industry trade association of which all plaintiffs are members, asserts that Cohere’s actions represent a significant threat not only to their intellectual property but also to the sustainability of quality journalism. Danielle Coffey, President and CEO of the Alliance, emphasized the importance of legal safeguards in an era of emerging technologies. “As the AI landscape expands, it is crucial that innovations proceed within the bounds of the law, ensuring that investments in creativity and intellectual property are protected,” Coffey stated.
The complaint highlights that Cohere utilized copyrighted articles from these publishers to train its AI systems, create outputs, and even directly compete with the original publishers. Notably, Cohere’s systems are accused of replicating content verbatim or producing distorted summaries, which not only violates copyrights but also poses risks to the reputations of the publishers involved.
Adding to the industry voices, Tony Hunter, Chair of the Board of the News/Media Alliance, remarked on the long-standing issue of tech platforms exploiting media content without proper authorization or compensation. “This lawsuit is a monumental step towards holding such platforms accountable and safeguarding the value of our journalism,” Hunter said.
Executives from some of the plaintiff organizations have expressed their determination to vigorously defend their rights. Roger Lynch, CEO of Condé Nast, stressed the importance of protecting well-known publications like The New Yorker and Vanity Fair from unauthorized use and degradation. Pam Wasserstein of Vox Media conveyed the overarching message of the lawsuit: “While technological innovation is welcome, it must not come at the expense of legal rights and protections.”
Anna Bateson, CEO of Guardian Media Group, pointed out specific grievances against Cohere, citing unauthorized scraping and duplication of their award-winning journalism. She highlighted the need for fair compensation and attribution in the use of their content.
The case also outlines specific instances where Cohere allegedly accessed content behind paywalls or bypassed explicit blocks set up by publishers to protect their content. Moreover, the suit alleges that Cohere’s infringements involve producing entirely fabricated content under the names of respected publishers, further endangering their credibility and brand value.
Represented by Scott Zebrak, Jenny Pariser, and Meredith Stewart of Oppenheim and Zebrak, LLP, and facilitated by Regan Smith of News/Media Alliance, the plaintiffs are resolute in their fight against what they see as blatant and extensive misuse of their intellectual property.
As the legal proceedings unfold, this case could set a significant precedent in the intersection of technology and copyright law, particularly as AI technologies become more prevalent in various sectors of society.
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