Microsoft and OpenAI workers worry about ‘largest theft of labor’ in history, records show

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Microsoft Executive Calls AI Scraping Largest Theft of Labor in History

   Unredacted court filings from an AI copyright lawsuit reveal a Microsoft executive described AI scraping as the "largest theft of labor in human history." Internal records indicate that employees at both Microsoft and OpenAI have expressed concerns regarding the damage these technologies cause to the publishing industry. Some reports suggest the companies admitted that large language models are built on theft and are actively destroying the web. These admissions emerge as the companies face legal challenges over the unauthorized use of data to train AI models.

   Why it matters

   The dispute centers on whether scraping public and private data for AI training constitutes copyright infringement or fair use. This case highlights internal tensions between corporate AI goals and the legal rights of content creators. The outcome could redefine intellectual property laws for the digital age.

   What is confirmed

   • A Microsoft executive called AI scraping the "largest theft of labor in human history" in court records.
   • Workers at Microsoft and OpenAI have expressed worry about the impact of AI on the publishing industry.

   Still unconfirmed

   • OpenAI and Microsoft admitted that large language models are destroying the web and were built on theft.

   What to watch next

   • Court rulings on the AI copyright suit regarding the legality of data scraping.
   • Further release of unredacted internal communications from Microsoft and OpenAI executives.
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. TechCrunch — Microsoft exec called AI scraping ‘the largest theft of labor in human history,' new unredacted filings reveal
   2. arstechnica.com — Microsoft exec called AI scraping the “largest theft of labor in human history”
   3. washingtonpost.com — Microsoft exec called AI the ‘largest theft of labor’ in history, court records show
   4. The New York Times — Inside Microsoft and OpenAI, Worry About Damaging the Publishing Industry
   5. 404media.co — ‘Doom Loop’: OpenAI and Microsoft Admits LLMs Are Destroying the Web and Built on Theft
   6. The Seattle Times — Microsoft and OpenAI workers worry about ‘largest theft of labor’ in history, records show
   7. The Mercury News — New docs in AI copyright suit reveal startling admission by Microsoft exec over ‘astonishing theft’
   confidence 90%