In a closely watched case about copyright concerns raised by artificial intelligence (AI), a federal judge in New York is set to hold the first hearing on Wednesday.

Prominent authors, including David Baldacci, Jonathan Franzen, John Grisham, George R.R. Martin, and Jodi Picoult, have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of alleged misuse of their work to train the popular chatbot ChatGPT. The lawsuit, seeking class-action status, was filed in September on behalf of these authors by the Authors Guild, claiming that OpenAI copied their works of fiction without permission.

According to the lawsuit, OpenAI used the copyrighted works of the authors to train their "large language models" (LLMs). These algorithms are designed to generate human-like text responses when prompted by users' queries. The Authors Guild claims that this unauthorized use of their works forms the basis of OpenAI's massive commercial enterprise and amounts to systematic theft on a mass scale.

OpenAI argues that their training of ChatGPT with material found online falls under fair use under copyright law. However, the authors assert that OpenAI should pay a licensing fee for using their copyrighted works.

The case brings attention to the growing concern among artists regarding the use of artificial intelligence. The recently settled actors' strike also highlighted the issue of AI usage.

Maya Shanbhag Lang, President of the Authors Guild, stated that this case is just the beginning of their battle to protect authors from theft by OpenAI and other generative AI platforms. Lang emphasized the guild's role in safeguarding the literary landscape and the profession of writing.

In response to the lawsuit, an OpenAI spokesperson mentioned that the company has engaged in constructive discussions with creators and expressed confidence in the benefits their technology can offer to them. The spokesperson highlighted that numerous creative professionals worldwide use ChatGPT as part of their creative process and affirmed OpenAI's commitment to respecting the rights of writers and authors.

OpenAI continues to address the concerns raised about AI with various creators, including the Authors Guild, and aims to work cooperatively in understanding and resolving these issues.

The outcome of this lawsuit will have significant implications for the relationship between copyright law and the use of AI technology in the creative industry. The court hearing on Wednesday marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle between the authors and OpenAI.