Hacker News front pageRich Iurilli4 min readintermediate
OpenAI Feared "Optics" of what might appear on Hacker News
Summary
New legal filings in Authors Guild v. OpenAI reveal executives at OpenAI and Microsoft knew they were training models on pirated books and that their AI would displace human authors. Internal communications show concerns about negative "optics" on Hacker News and efforts to delete evidence of using "sketchy Russian websites."
- OpenAI and Microsoft executives were aware of using pirated books (LibGen) for training GPT models as early as 2019.
- Internal discussions acknowledged that AI models would "make people unemployed" and substitute for human labor.
- An OpenAI researcher viewed author complaints about stolen datasets and job loss as "acceptable economic disruption."
- OpenAI leadership feared negative "optics" on platforms like Hacker News more than legal repercussions.
This article is crucial for anyone concerned with the legal and ethical implications of AI development, particularly regarding intellectual property rights and the future of creative professions.
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