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AIQuiet 7d · day 8

Unsealed filings show OpenAI staff called book-pirating for AI training 'sketchy AF'

Newly unsealed documents in a copyright lawsuit reveal internal OpenAI messages weighing whether to buy or pirate books to train early ChatGPT models.

newest coverage 7d agosummary written 7d ago6 pieces7 likes & upvotes NewswiresBlueskyHacker NewsGoogle News

What to know

  • Unsealed court documents from a copyright case reveal OpenAI employees internally discussing whether to buy or pirate books for training early ChatGPT models.
  • One internal message reportedly described the approach as 'sketchy AF,' underscoring staff awareness of legal risk.
  • The disclosure emerges from ongoing litigation over how AI companies sourced copyrighted training data.

OpenAI Defendant in copyright litigation

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in two hours at Sep 19, 6 AM; 6 pieces over 8 days (4 articles · 2 posts) Sep 18, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 18, 8 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 12 AM — quietSep 19, 2 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 6 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Newswires 2, Google News 1Sep 19, 8 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, Hacker News 1Sep 19, 12 PM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 6 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 12 AM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 23, 12 AM — quietSep 23, 2 AM — quietSep 23, 4 AM — quietSep 23, 6 AM — quietSep 23, 8 AM — quietSep 23, 10 AM — quietSep 23, 12 PM — quietSep 23, 2 PM — quietSep 23, 4 PM — quietSep 23, 6 PM — quietSep 23, 8 PM — quietSep 23, 10 PM — quietSep 24, 12 AM — quietSep 24, 2 AM — quietSep 24, 4 AM — quietSep 24, 6 AM — quietSep 24, 8 AM — quietSep 24, 10 AM — quietSep 24, 12 PM — quietSep 24, 2 PM — quietSep 24, 4 PM — quietSep 24, 6 PM — quietSep 24, 8 PM — quietSep 24, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quiet 1
Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22Sep 23Sep 24yesterdaynow · 1:19 PM ET
  1. 1

    WSJ reports unsealed documents on OpenAI's book-training discussions

    The Wall Street Journal reviewed court documents recently unsealed in a copyright case that show OpenAI employees discussing the cost and legality of buying versus pirating books to train early ChatGPT models.

    “Sketchy AF…”
    — OpenAI employee (via unsealed messages)

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets ‘Sketchy AF’: What to Know About How OpenAI Staff Discussed Book-Pirating

    first by WSJ, 7d ago · also Yahoo Finance, WSJ Tech