Wikipedia’s operator says a bad AI copyright ruling could threaten the open web

In the NYT’s case against OpenAI, the Wikimedia Foundation says training AI should be fair use — but regurgitating articles shouldn’t.

“Wikimedia is concerned that the parties’ positions in this case push for overbroad and simplified applications of the fair use doctrine”

“A ruling that does not apply fair use principles carefully could threaten the sustainability of free knowledge, and stifle the development of open source technologies, ultimately impacting access to information for everyone in both cases,” Wikimedia Foundation general council Stephen LaPorte says in a statement. “The court needs to understand that Wikipedia is created through a collaborative process that requires a strong foundation of open and accessible human knowledge to thrive.”

“A ruling that does not apply fair use principles carefully could threaten the sustainability of free knowledge”

In those cases, Wikimedia says that AI companies should respect licensing requirements to use such information. For Wikipedia, this would mean crediting the original source of information under its Creative Commons license, which also requires “any remix or adaptations” to remain under that same license.

“We are taking a position in this case to defend the free and open human knowledge that Wikipedia depends on,” Wikimedia CEO Bernadette Meehan says in a statement. “Expanding access to knowledge through AI is a powerful goal, but it must respect the people, contributors, and communities that make reliable knowledge possible. Finding this balance is both a mutual benefit and a shared responsibility for the entire information ecosystem.”

Fuente: The Verge