YouTube is investigating whether OpenAI trained its AI model, Sora, using content from the platform after the allegations that OpenAI might have stolen content from YouTube without permission.
Concerns from YouTube
In an interview with The Verge’s editor-in-chief, Nilay Patel, Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged the investigation.
“YouTube is following up and trying to understand these reports,” Pichai said. The issue was raised when Mira Murati, CTO of OpenAI, acknowledged she wasn’t sure if Sora was trained with YouTube videos.
Last month, Neal Mohan, the CEO of YouTube, stressed the importance of respecting the work of content creators.
“When a creator uploads their hard work to our platform, they have certain expectations. One of those expectations is that the terms of service is going to be abided by.”
It would be a “clear violation” of YouTube’s terms of service, Mohan said, to use videos from the platform without permission.
YouTube’s approach to AI
Pichai talked about the disparities in how AI development is approached by Google and YouTube. He clarified that rather than trying to replace artists, Google wants to provide tools that support them.
“We are working first to make tools for artists. We haven’t put a general-purpose tool out there for anyone to create songs,” Pichai said. Incorporating the creator community into AI projects is crucial, he emphasized.
Difference between Google’s AI
Pichai was asked by Nilay Patel to outline how Google and YouTube intend to help creators while creating AI products. Patel brought out the issue of certain businesses using free internet material to market AI products, which might be detrimental to content creators.
In response, Pichai emphasized Google’s dedication to artists. “The whole reason we’ve been successful on platforms like YouTube is we have worked hard to answer this question,” he said. Pichai promised that Google will continue to focus on supporting creators.