OpenAI and its primary supporter Microsoft are facing a lawsuit from a news non-profit in the US for purported copyright violations, marking the latest in a string of legal battles waged by news entities against tech giants. The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR), publisher of Mother Jones and Reveal, announced on Thursday that it had initiated legal action, accusing the tech companies of utilizing its content without authorization, labeling it a "rebuke to artificial intelligence and its exploitative practices." "OpenAI and Microsoft started appropriating our stories to enhance their product’s capabilities, yet they neglected to seek permission or provide compensation, in contrast to other entities that license our material," stated Monika Bauerlein, CEO of the Center for Investigative Reporting. She further emphasized, "This opportunistic behavior is not just unethical but also a violation of copyright. The contributions of journalists, be it at CIR or elsewhere, hold value, a fact acknowledged by OpenAI and Microsoft." Despite requests for comment, OpenAI and Microsoft have yet to respond to the allegations. The lawsuit, lodged in federal court in New York, demands restitution and a judicial mandate obliging OpenAI and Microsoft to expunge copyrighted content from their training datasets. OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot relies heavily on data collected from various sources on the internet, including news portals, to cater to user inquiries. This recent legal action follows similar grievances raised by news publications like The New York Times, The Intercept, New York Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Denver Post against the two companies. Renowned authors such as Jonathan Franzen, John Grisham, and George RR Martin have also taken legal action against OpenAI, alleging the unauthorized use of their works without compensation. While ChatGPT's introduction has triggered backlash in the news sector, certain outlets like The Financial Times, News Corp, Politico, and Le Monde have engaged in partnerships with OpenAI to exchange content and collaborate on AI advancements. TIME recently joined forces with the ChatGPT developer, signaling a multi-year partnership to offer access to their extensive archives. Mark Howard, CEO of TIME, commented, "Throughout our 101-year history, TIME has embraced innovation to ensure that our trusted journalism evolves in parallel with technological advancements. This collaboration with OpenAI furthers our objective to enhance global access to reliable information as we explore inventive methods of disseminating TIME's journalism internationally."