What did the Microsoft executive actually say about AI scraping?

Brent Hecht, Microsoft's director of Applied Science, called it "an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions" and "the largest theft of labor in human history" in a January 2023 internal memo.

What did OpenAI's leadership say about the threat to publishers?

OpenAI's head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, wrote that publishers face an "existential threat" from products like the chatbot, which are "largely substitutive" and "will get more and more substitutive as they get better."

AI Safety & AlignmentAI Regulation & PolicyAI Business & IndustryHacker NewsSep 18, 2026Sep 18, 2026, 19:00 JST

Microsoft's Brent Hecht called AI scraping "largest theft of labor"

Send on LINE

3 Key Points

What happened
Unredacted filings in The New York Times' lawsuit reveal Microsoft's Brent Hecht called AI scraping "the largest theft of labor in human history," and OpenAI's Nick Turley said publishers face an "existential threat."
Why it matters
These private admissions appear to undercut OpenAI's fair-use defense, which requires that its use not harm the market for the original work, according to the filing.
What to watch
Much of the new information comes from The Times' own brief, not the underlying exhibits, which remain sealed. The judge's eventual fair-use ruling is the key test.

WHO IT HITSThis matters most to news publishers and journalists whose work trained these models; the filing's admissions could shape how courts weigh fair use in copyright cases against AI firms.

Not sure about something? Ask the AI

Questions and answers are published on this page.

Summaries like this, every morning.

Get these free every morning

FAQ

What did the Microsoft executive actually say about AI scraping?: Brent Hecht, Microsoft's director of Applied Science, called it "an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions" and "the largest theft of labor in human history" in a January 2023 internal memo.
What did OpenAI's leadership say about the threat to publishers?: OpenAI's head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, wrote that publishers face an "existential threat" from products like the chatbot, which are "largely substitutive" and "will get more and more substitutive as they get better."

Hacker NewsRead Original Article

Send on LINE

Also reported by TechCrunch AI

AI news that matters for your work, delivered every morning.

Pick your industry and the AI tools you use, and get news related to your work every day.

Get it free

Free · 30 seconds with Google · unsubscribe anytimeWhat is AIToday? →

Ask AI

Ask AI anything about this article. The AI reads this article, earlier AIToday articles, and Wikipedia, and cites its sources. Q&As are published on this page for other readers too.