On Wednesday, Google was hit with a €250 million fine by French regulators for allegedly using content from news outlets to train its AI chatbot, Bard, now rebranded as Gemini. This marked the first time a tech giant faced a penalty for its AI training practices. The regulators claimed that Google violated EU intellectual property rules by using the journalists' content without their consent.
Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider but stated to the Associated Press that the fine was "not proportionate" to the allegations. Despite this, Google agreed to pay the fine, stating that it was time to move on. The company emphasized its commitment to sustainable approaches to connecting people with quality content and working constructively with French publishers.
The issue of how tech companies train their chatbots has been a contentious one, as seen in a lawsuit where The New York Times sued OpenAI for allegedly using its content to train the ChatGPT bot. OpenAI has denied the allegations and requested parts of the suit to be dismissed, accusing the Times of hiring someone to "hack" its platforms.
Interestingly, some publishers, including Axel Springer, have reached agreements with AI companies like OpenAI to utilize their content for AI training purposes. This partnership highlights the evolving relationship between traditional media outlets and AI technology.
The fine imposed on Google serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and the need for transparency in AI training practices. As the use of AI in various industries continues to grow, it is crucial for companies to uphold ethical standards and collaborate with content creators in a fair and respectful manner.