Digital Event Horizon
A new lawsuit has been filed against Perplexity, an AI startup accused of generating fake news stories and attributing them to real publications. The move marks a significant step in the ongoing battle between publishers and AI companies over intellectual property rights.
Dow Jones and the New York Post are suing Perplexity, an AI startup accused of generating fake news stories.Perplexity uses generative models that can hallucinate, producing false or fabricated material presented as fact.The lawsuit claims trademark dilution by mixing fabricated paragraphs with real reporting and attributing them to the Post.Publishers have been warning Perplexity about spreading misinformation, with similar warnings issued by The New York Times, Forbes, and WIRED.AI companies face challenges in differentiating between fact and fiction, making it impossible to guarantee against hallucinations.The lawsuit has far-reaching implications for the AI industry if publishers succeed in arguing that hallucinations can violate trademark law.
In a shocking turn of events, two prominent news publishers, Dow Jones and the New York Post, have joined forces to file a lawsuit against Perplexity, an AI startup that has been accused of generating fake news stories and attributing them to real publications. This move marks a significant step in the ongoing battle between publishers and AI companies over intellectual property rights.
At the heart of this controversy is Perplexity's use of generative models to produce news content. According to the lawsuit, these models are capable of hallucinating – producing false or wholly fabricated material that is presented as fact. This phenomenon has become a major concern in recent months, with several publications and companies coming forward to express their concerns about the spread of misinformation.
One of the most notable examples cited in the lawsuit is Perplexity Pro's alleged "hallucination" of two paragraphs from a New York Post story about US Senator Jim Jordan sparring with European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton over Elon Musk and X. The AI model then proceeded to generate five additional paragraphs about free speech and online regulation, which were not present in the original article.
The lawsuit claims that by mixing these fabricated paragraphs with real reporting and attributing them to the Post, Perplexity is engaging in trademark dilution – a practice that can potentially confuse readers and damage the value of trademarks. The plaintiffs argue that this behavior is not only unethical but also illegal under US copyright law.
This move comes as no surprise, given the recent history of disputes between publishers and AI companies over intellectual property rights. In August, The New York Times sent Perplexity a cease-and-desist letter, alleging that it was using the newspaper's content without permission. Similarly, Forbes and WIRED parent company Condé Nast have also issued similar warnings to Perplexity.
The lawsuit also highlights the challenges faced by AI companies in differentiating between fact and fiction. According to Matthew Sag, a professor of law and artificial intelligence at Emory University, "it is absolutely impossible to guarantee that a language model will not hallucinate." The process of predicting words that sound correct in response to prompts is always a type of hallucination, whether the output matches up with reality or not.
OpenAI, another prominent AI company, has also faced similar allegations. In a recent statement, News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson expressed support for principled companies like OpenAI, which prioritize integrity and creativity. However, he also warned that his company would pursue any claims of trademark dilution with "vigor and rigor."
The implications of this lawsuit are far-reaching, with potential consequences for the entire AI industry. If publishers prevail in arguing that hallucinations can violate trademark law, AI companies could face immense difficulties in differentiating between fact and fiction.
In conclusion, the lawsuit against Perplexity serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater accountability and transparency in the AI-generated news space. As the use of generative models continues to grow, it is essential that publishers, regulators, and consumers alike remain vigilant in protecting intellectual property rights and promoting responsible innovation.
Related Information:
https://www.wired.com/story/dow-jones-new-york-post-sue-perplexity/
https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/21/media/rupert-murdoch-dow-jones-perplexity-lawsuit/index.html
Published: Mon Oct 21 17:57:09 2024 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
