Microsoft's Copilot Copyright Commitment will protect AI users from lawsuits
What's the story
Microsoft has announced its Copilot Copyright Commitment, pledging to protect customers against copyright infringement lawsuits related to its artificial intelligence products.
The company will cover fines or settlements for customers who have used its "built-in guardrails and content filters."
This move comes as generative AI technology is being integrated into Microsoft's major products, potentially putting customers at legal risk.
The effort by the software giant will assuage customers' concerns about using AI "Copilots" to generate content based on existing work.
Details
Generative AI raises fair-use concerns
Generative AI applications use existing content like art, articles, and programming code, to produce new material for various tasks.
However, creators are filing lawsuits and raising objections about their work being used without consent.
Usually, there's a legal defense, allowing the use of copyrighted materials in certain cases.
However, the fair-use doctrine has been complicated by a recent Supreme Court ruling, which came in favor of a photographer who accused Andy Warhol estate of using her work.
Scenario
Microsoft and OpenAI face class action lawsuit
A group of individuals seeking class-action status has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of stealing "vast amounts" of private details to train AI models for profit.
News organizations are considering filing complaints, while comedian Sarah Silverman has sued OpenAI and Meta Platforms Inc.
Meanwhile, artists continue to sue AI image generators such as Stability AI and Midjourney in a San Francisco court.
Insights
Microsoft has always stood by its product users
Microsoft has a history of offering legal shields to keep customers loyal.
The company provided indemnification to partners in the 2000s, and later customers using or reselling its software.
In 2017, Microsoft offered protection for Azure cloud product customers from legal claims. In June, the tech giant announced an initiative to help buyers ensure their AI programs on Microsoft platforms meet global regulations.
Now, it aims to offer legal protection for users of its AI tools against copyright infringement.