Microsoft’s AI head, Mustafa Suleyman, stirred up a tech tempest by labeling all openly accessible online information as “freeware” for AI training purposes. This claim was made during a chat at the Aspen Ideas Festival, captured by CNBC. But, mustering a bit of caution, Suleyman confessed that the waters get murky when talking about content that publishers have specifically flagged off-limits for scraping. This admission adds some spice to the ongoing discourse about the ethical lines AI development is willing to cook or cross.
As the AI saga thickens, Suleyman didn’t shy away from talking about the global implications, particularly pointing to a need for a symbiotic relationship rather than a tech tug-of-war with China. In the midst of discussing the romantic notions of AI’s potential to revolutionize industries, he touched upon the necessity of responsible AI growth and governance. Meanwhile, content creators are waving red flags, worrying that their intellectual offspring are being pinched by AI without a thank-you note or a dime in return, suggesting a slow erosion of creative integrity and livelihood.
The pot really started to boil over when the Center for Investigative Reporting threw a legal hot potato at OpenAI and its backer, Microsoft, accusing them of snatching their content to buff up their AI without so much as a by-your-leave. Microsoft tried to calm down the simmering situation by promising some protection umbrellas against copyright storms for the users of its AI tools. While some see this as a reassuring raincoat, others view it as a mere paper umbrella, hardly enough to keep the content rains at bay.
**Hot Take**
Oh, Microsoft, navigating the AI ethics debate like a pirate in uncharted waters, claiming everything they see as “Arr! Freeware!” Meanwhile, content creators are walking the plank, watching their works being enlisted in the AI armada without a treasure chest in sight. Maybe it’s time for Microsoft to swap the pirate hat for a diplomat’s cap and start some serious parley with the content crowd!
Original Article: https://www.techradar.com/pro/microsoft-ai-ceo-says-content-published-online-is-freeware-to-help-train-ai