OpenAI has announced its "Copyright Shield" program, which will cover the legal costs for business-tier ChatGPT Enterprise users and those using the developer platform if they face legal claims related to copyright infringement. This initiative aims to protect users from potential legal actions concerning copyrighted content. It aligns OpenAI with other tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Adobe, and Shutterstock that offer similar legal support to their users in cases of copyright infringement allegations.


At OpenAI's first developer conference, DevDay, on November 6, the company introduced its "Copyright Shield" program. This initiative is designed to cover the legal costs for users of the business-tier ChatGPT Enterprise and its developer platform if they face legal claims related to copyright infringement.


OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, announced this new offering, stating, "We will step in and defend our customers and pay the costs incurred if you face legal claims around copyright infringement, and this applies both to ChatGPT Enterprise and the API."


Copyright Shield is intended to provide protection to ChatGPT Enterprise and developer platform users, offering legal backing in cases of copyright-related legal actions. However, it does not extend to users of the free and Plus ChatGPT versions.


OpenAI joins other tech companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Adobe, and Shutterstock, in offering to cover the legal expenses for users accused of copyright infringement. This initiative reflects the increasing importance of addressing copyright concerns in the field of AI and natural language processing.


OpenAI's DevDay also featured several other announcements, including the upcoming ability for users to create custom ChatGPT models, with an option to sell them on an upcoming app store. Additionally, OpenAI unveiled its new and updated AI model, ChatGPT-4 Turbo.


This move by OpenAI aligns with its efforts to address concerns about the potential misuse of copyrighted materials in training AI models. The organization has faced legal challenges related to copyright infringement, including allegations from comedians and authors who claim their copyrighted work was included in ChatGPT's training data without authorization.


(JESSE COGHLAN, COINTELEGRAPH, 2023)