South Korea’s leading terrestrial broadcasters have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming that the company trained its ChatGPT model using their news content without permission. KBS, MBC, and SBS are seeking an injunction to halt the alleged infringement and to recover damages.
The Korea Broadcasters Association said OpenAI generates significant revenue from its GPT services and has licensing agreements with media organisations worldwide.
Despite this, the company has refused to negotiate with the South Korean networks, leaving them without recourse to ensure proper use of their content.
The lawsuit emphasises the protection of intellectual property and creators’ rights, arguing that domestic copyright holders face high legal costs and barriers when confronting global technology companies. It also raises broader questions about South Korea’s data sovereignty in the age of AI.
Earlier action against Naver set a precedent for copyright enforcement in AI applications.
Although KBS subsequently partnered with Naver for AI-driven media solutions, the current case underscores continuing disputes over lawful access to broadcast content for generative AI training.
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