Microsoft exec called AI scraping the “largest theft of labor in human history”

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1. 1h ago

   Court records reveal Microsoft executive called AI scraping "largest theft of labor"

   Unredacted court filings show Microsoft and OpenAI executives privately described AI data scraping as theft while publicly claiming fair use. One Microsoft executive specifically labeled the practice the "largest theft of labor in human history." These internal communications emerged during a lawsuit involving The New York Times. The disclosures suggest a disconnect between the companies' legal defenses and their internal assessments of how AI training impacts human labor and copyright law.

   Why it matters

   AI companies rely on massive datasets scraped from the web to train large language models. Publishers argue this destroys their business models by removing the need for users to click through to original sources. The legal battle centers on whether this constitutes fair use or copyright infringement.

   What is confirmed

   • A Microsoft executive called AI scraping the "largest theft of labor in human history"
   • Unredacted court filings show Microsoft and OpenAI executives privately called AI data scraping theft while publicly defending it as fair use
   • Internal communications were revealed through a lawsuit between The New York Times and Microsoft and OpenAI

   Still unconfirmed

   • Donald Trump supports AI scraping

   What to watch next

   • Court rulings on whether executive admissions invalidate fair use defenses
   • Further unsealing of internal OpenAI and Microsoft communications
   Sources used for this update (9)

   1. Financial Times — OpenAI staff knew the ‘existential threat’ AI posed to publishers, New York Times claims
   2. Electronic Frontier Foundation — Victory! Appeals Court Rejects Expansive New Copyright Claim
   3. arstechnica.com — Microsoft exec called AI scraping the “largest theft of labor in human history”
   4. washingtonpost.com — Microsoft exec called AI the ‘largest theft of labor’ in history, court records show
   5. Reuters — OpenAI, Microsoft executives' quotes on AI training threaten copyright defense, news outlets argue
   6. www.yahoo.com — Microsoft’s Own Executive Called AI Training “the Largest Theft of Labor in Human History”
   7. www.yahoo.com — Microsoft exec said AI scraping was ‘the largest theft of labor in human history,’ lawsuit filings reveal
   8. www.tweaktown.com — Internal Microsoft warning brands AI scraping the 'largest theft of labor in human history'
   9. hothardware.com — Microsoft Exec Warned AI Web Scraping Makes A Mockery Of Fair Use
   confidence 90%