OpenAI Ordered to Release ChatGPT Logs in Copyright Lawsuit
A federal judge has compelled OpenAI to disclose anonymized user logs from ChatGPT, marking a pivotal development in the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by The New York Times and MediaNews Group outlets. The plaintiffs allege OpenAI's language models reproduced paywalled content verbatim, with the logs serving as potential evidence.
Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín mandated redaction of personal identifiers but rejected OpenAI's privacy objections, noting safeguards are in place. The company must produce logs within seven days of anonymization, despite its warning about setting a dangerous precedent for unrelated conversations.
Media organizations contend the logs will demonstrate systematic misuse of copyrighted journalism. Early examples cite ChatGPT outputs mirroring proprietary reporting—a claim central to the litigation's discovery phase.
