In a groundbreaking legal case, a group of esteemed writers, including Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon, has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms over the tech giant’s alleged misuse of their works to train its Llama artificial intelligence (AI) program. This lawsuit follows a similar proposed class-action case brought against ChatGPT maker OpenAI.
The writers claim that Meta used pirated versions of their writings to train the Llama large-language model, allowing it to respond to human text prompts. They argue that works like books and plays, which exemplify high-quality, long-form writing, are particularly valuable for AI language training.
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has faced mounting legal challenges in recent months. In July, a separate group of authors, including comedian Sarah Silverman, sued Meta and OpenAI for copyright infringement. The involvement of prominent figures from the arts and entertainment industry highlights the growing concern surrounding the use of copyrighted material by AI companies.
Although Meta has released a list of datasets used to train its first version of the Llama model, it has not disclosed the training data for its latest iteration, Llama 2. Llama 2 represents a significant milestone for Meta as it is the first large language model made publicly available for commercial use by the tech giant. Unlike other AI players, Meta offers Llama 2 for free to companies with fewer than 700 million monthly active users.
This new lawsuit against Meta raises important questions about the ethics and legality of using copyrighted materials to train AI programs. As AI technologies continue to advance, it becomes crucial to establish fair and transparent practices that respect the rights of content creators while harnessing the potential of AI for innovation and progress.
FAQ:
Q: What is the Llama artificial intelligence (AI) program?
A: The Llama AI program is a large-language model developed by Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) for generating responses to human text prompts.
Q: What is the significance of the Llama 2 release?
A: Llama 2 is the latest version of the Llama model and is the first large language model made publicly available for commercial use by Meta. It represents a potential game-changer in the generative AI software market.
Q: What are the concerns raised by the lawsuit?
A: The lawsuit raises concerns about Meta’s alleged misuse of copyrighted works to train its AI program and highlights the need for ethical and legal guidelines regarding the use of copyrighted materials in AI training.