Source: Reuters

Last Friday, several graphic artists have decided to sue Google for the use of an artificially intelligent image generator. According to the lawsuits filed in California Federal Court, the image generator, Imagen, is allegedly using copyrighted works without the permission of the creators.

In addition, the plaintiffs claim that Google allegedly misused these copyrighted images to teach Image to interpret human text instructions. This legal action is in addition to other potential lawsuits that could be filed against technology companies such as Microsoft, OpenAI and Meta over the use of data in the training of generative artificial intelligence systems.

The main concern of the plaintiffs is that, by using artificial intelligence to generate these images they could contributing to the devaluation of the original works and the detriment of the artists’ income.

The artists are therefore seeking compensation, as well as a court order forcing Google to destroy unauthorized copies of their works.

On the other hand, Google has defended its position by arguing that the image generator in question is simply a tool that helps users create new works inspired by existing works, without infringing copyrights. Furthermore, the company has assured that it works closely with artists and creators to ensure that their copyrights are respected.

It should be noted that Google is not the only company that could face this kind of lawsuit, Microsoft, OpenAI and even Meta could join the list, due to the fact that the same database is used to program generative artificial intelligence systems.

The current outlook between artists and Google reflects important concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in artistic creation and copyright protection in the digital age. While the technology can offer innovative creative opportunities, it also raises ethical and legal challenges that must be carefully and equitably addressed.