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OpenAI has requested a federal judge to dismiss parts of a copyright lawsuit filed by The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of employing deceptive tactics to generate misleading evidence, according to a recent Reuters report. The lawsuit, which centers around the alleged unauthorized use of the Times’ copyrighted material to train OpenAI’s artificial intelligence systems, including the popular ChatGPT, has sparked a heated debate over the boundaries of copyright law and AI technology.
OpenAI’s defense, articulated in a recent filing in Manhattan federal court, argues that The New York Times contravened OpenAI’s terms of use by using “deceptive prompts” to force the AI to reproduce the newspaper’s content. OpenAI contends that this strategy was designed to create evidence for The New York Times’ lawsuit, undermining the integrity of the legal process. The filing criticizes the Times for not adhering to its own high journalistic standards, suggesting that the newspaper hired an external party to manipulate OpenAI’s products deliberately.
At the heart of this legal battle is the controversial question of whether AI’s training on copyrighted materials constitutes fair use — a principle that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as news reporting, teaching, and research. Tech companies, including OpenAI, argue that their AI systems’ usage of copyrighted content is a fair use, essential for the development of AI technologies that could potentially shape a multitrillion-dollar industry. However, copyright owners, including The New York Times, contend that such practices infringe on their copyrights, unduly benefiting from their extensive investments in original content.
Judicial precedents and the future of AI
The case against OpenAI and its primary financial supporter, Microsoft, is part of a broader trend of copyright lawsuits targeting tech companies over AI training practices. However, courts have yet to provide a clear verdict on the fair use question in the context of AI, with some infringement claims being dismissed due to insufficient evidence of AI-generated content resembling copyrighted works closely.
OpenAI’s filing emphasizes the challenges in using ChatGPT to systematically reproduce copyrighted articles, arguing that the instances cited by the Times were anomalies resulting from extensive manipulation. The company also posits that AI models acquiring knowledge from various sources, including copyrighted materials, is inevitable and cannot be legally prevented, drawing a parallel with traditional journalistic practices of re-reporting news.
As the lawsuit progresses, the outcome could have profound implications for the future of AI development and the application of copyright law in the digital age. A ruling in favor of OpenAI could solidify the legal standing of AI’s fair use of copyrighted materials, potentially accelerating the growth of AI technologies. Conversely, a decision favoring The New York Times could impose new limitations on how AI can be trained, impacting the evolution of AI capabilities and the tech industry’s trajectory.
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Instagram’s Threads is swiftly outpacing its competitors, most notably X (formerly Twitter), in daily downloads across both iOS and Google Play platforms, according to TechCrunch reporting. This surge signifies a potential shift in the market dynamics of social networking and microblogging services.
Since its public launch in the summer of 2023, Threads has experienced a significant influx of new installs, initially spurred by Meta’s strategic efforts to integrate and promote the app within its existing network, including Facebook and Instagram. Despite an initial fluctuation in download rates, Threads has now achieved a consistent lead over X, marking a pivotal moment in the competition for user engagement.
Recent data underscores this trend, with Threads securing nearly triple the downloads on iOS and more than double on Google Play compared to X. On February 25, 2024, Threads boasted 486,803 installs on Google Play and 342,228 on iOS, dwarfing X’s 225,408 and 112,625 downloads on the respective platforms. This gap not only highlights Threads’ growing popularity but also suggests a widening preference among users for Meta’s microblogging platform.
Implications for the social media landscape
Threads’ ascendancy comes at a time when X is grappling with challenges, including issues related to its rebranding and concerns over automated accounts or spam. Despite these hurdles, X reported 500 million monthly active users last fall, a figure now cast in doubt due to the prevalence of bots within its network.
On the other hand, Threads is rapidly gaining traction, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealing the app had reached 130 million monthly active users by the company’s fourth quarter. This growth is particularly notable in markets like Japan, where Twitter previously held strong influence.
The rise of Threads suggests a shift in the information-sharing ecosystem, with Meta positioning itself as a key player. Unlike X, Threads has committed to not amplifying news or recommending political content, a stance that could reshape how journalists, researchers, and the public engage with social media for news and information.
While Threads and X vie for dominance, decentralized alternatives like Mastodon and Bluesky are struggling to make a significant impact. Despite Mastodon’s diverse app ecosystem and Bluesky’s recent public launch, neither platform has yet to challenge the dominance of Threads or X significantly.
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Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is the headline backer supporting the largest single financing round for a significant Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) initiative.
The e-commerce giant led the funding in Moonshot AI, with the $1 billion round turbo-charging the new company’s valuation to the tune of $2.5 billion, according to sources close to Bloomberg. Existing backers Monolith Management, Long-Z, and Hongshan also returned to the table.
Alibaba’s backing for the startup appears to indicate the allocation of capital in the pursuit of growth, as it follows the path taken by the likes of Tencent Holdings and Microsoft in placing faith in Generative AI. It is the emerging technology powering applications such as ChatGPT as industries move toward AI.
Change of direction
Under the new leadership of chairman Joseph Tsai and CEO Eddie Wu, Alibaba aims to reverse its fortunes after two years of struggles beset by regulatory scrutiny and an economic downturn. The duo are leading the foray into new technologies with key investments while also diverging business lines into areas such as cloud tech and logistics.
Tsai indicated the cloud space now hosts half of China’s Generative AI firms while also serving around 80% of the country’s technology companies.
Moonshot AI will mark its first anniversary next month, so this landmark valuation on the back of the funding deal will provide a timely boost as it aims to build on its reputation as a player in the Chinese AI field. It has ambitions to eventually challenge OpenAI and Google, having launched its Kimi chatbot last November, followed by a platform for developers to build AI applications plugged into its model.
The news has emerged, with the parties involved appearing reticent to comment on developments. At the time of writing, there has been no official statement from Moonshot, while Monolith and Alibaba have not offered any comment on the investment funding, first reported by local Chinese media, including 36kr.
Image: Alibaba/X
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It’s a very happy Pokémon Day for all fans of the pocket monsters who have been a part of our lives since Red and Green hit the scene on the Gameboy Color 27 years ago.
Pokémon Presents brings us no new major title for existing consoles but gives us something to look forward to when Switch 2 makes its long-awaited appearance.
Here’s what we learned from today’s reveal headed up by Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO of The Pokémon Company.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A

The biggest teaser to hit the show was the reveal of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which shows the draft drawings of Pokemon interacting with humans in the blueprints of a city. Lumiose City, to be exact, but that and the small snippet of information that says this “urban redevelopment plan brings with it a vision of people and Pokémon living together in harmony.”
It will be released at some point in 2025, and we predict this will coincide with the upcoming Switch 2, but more details on both would be handy. We only have the information that it will be released “simultaneously worldwide.” Regardless, the small Switch logo in the top right-hand corner means we will see this on the original Switch.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

This digital pack-cracking app will be launched for free on iOS and Android devices in 2024. Mimicking the existing trading card game in physical form, this digital counterpart allows players to trade cards and battle their friends via their devices.
The card app also features “immersive cards” that remove the borders of shiny and rare cards to place them in a setting with other Pokémon.
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet
From today, players can take on Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard in mighty 7-star Tera Raid Battles, with each of the fabled starter evolutions boasting the “Mightiest Mark.”
Pokémon GO and Pokémon Horizons: The Series
A special Pikachu sporting a captain’s hat marks this series coming to the popular mobile game and comes with a brand new ability with “Pokémon GO: Volt Tackle.”
The event brings a début to three new Pokémon in Charcadet, Armarouge, and Ceruledge. You can add them all to your collection on March 5 and snap a photo in the app’s GO Snapshot to see Liko and Roy, the stars of Netflix’s new TV show, interact with the image.
Pokémon Masters EX
The four-and-a-half-year anniversary comes to the isle of Pasio with a host of new updates to celebrate the game and 3,000 no-cost gems for fans of the title. Special sync pairs, bonus events, and a photo editor will be available until March 31.
Pokémon UNITE
A special prize machine event takes place in honor of Pokémon Day, where trainers can pick up a limited-time Sunshine Style: Venusaur hologram. Those who tune in to the Pokémon Presents video will also get a unique code for a limited 3-day license for Miraidon. Falinks and Ceruledg will also be joining the Pokémon UNITE roster soon.
Pokémon Café ReMix
Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly all get three new outfits to improve their front-of-house look, and Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon will be available to join the staff rota once certain events are completed.
Finally, to help us drift off after all those updates, Pokémon Sleep sees the Legendary Beasts appear with Raikou — dropping in March 2024, and Entei and Suicune are set to follow.
 
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