OpenAI has yet to deliver on its promised Media Manager, a tool aimed at allowing creators to control the use of their content in AI training, despite its scheduled release by 2025.
OpenAI’s failure to deliver its long-promised Media Manager tool raises new concerns about how creators’ intellectual property is used in AI training. The tool, announced in May 2024 and expected by 2025, was promised to provide creators with a centralized way to manage their rights and opt out of OpenAI’s datasets.
However, internal sources suggest the project was deprioritized, leaving creators with limited and cumbersome options for protecting their work.
Techcrunch quotes one former OpenAI employee saying, “I don’t think it was a priority. To be honest, I don’t remember anyone working on it.” This admission has further fueled frustration among creators and rights advocates, who view such a tool as a key step in addressing longstanding copyright issues.
Technical Challenges and Creator Concerns
Media Manager was envisioned as a comprehensive tool allowing creators to opt out of AI training datasets. It would use machine learning to identify copyrighted materials and manage permissions. While promising, such systems face technical hurdles, particularly at scale. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok already struggle with content identification, and OpenAI’s tool would need to account for diverse formats, including text, video, and audio.
Additionally, opt-out systems often fail to account for unauthorized reproductions on third-party platforms, complicating enforcement.
A Patchwork Approach to Copyright
While making no progress on the promised Media Manager tool, OpenAI continued to pursue high-profile licensing agreements to secure access to premium content. In December 2024, the company partnered with Future PLC, integrating over 200 publications into ChatGPT.
These include respected outlets like TechRadar, Marie Claire, and PC Gamer. The agreement emphasizes attribution and links to original articles, a move aimed at promoting transparency and ethical content usage.
OpenAI previously signed agreements with other major publishers such as News Corp and TIME magazine, granting the AI company access to historical archives earlier in 2024.
However, these partnerships represent only part of OpenAI’s strategy. In November 2024, a coalition of Canadian publishers, including the Toronto Star and CBC, filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of “widespread scraping” from their websites without permission.
The claim alleges that OpenAI’s actions violated copyright protections and terms of use agreements, enabling the development of profitable products like ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Enterprise.
In 2024, OpenAI faced several similar litigations in the United States, including a high-profile case brought by The New York Times over the unauthorized use of its articles for training purposes. Critics argue that such practices undermine traditional revenue streams for content creators while eroding copyright safeguards.
Fair Use and other Legal Precedents
OpenAI defends its practices by invoking fair use, a legal doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material for purposes like research and commentary. The company argues that its models generate “transformative” works rather than direct copies, a claim central to its legal strategy.
In December 2024, a U.S. federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by smaller publishers Raw Story Media and Alternet Media, citing insufficient evidence of harm. Judge Colleen McMahon stated, “Given the quantity of information in the repository, the likelihood that ChatGPT would output plagiarized content from one of Plaintiffs’ articles seems remote.”
However, legal experts caution that such rulings may not apply broadly. The transformative nature of AI outputs remains contentious, with ongoing cases like The New York Times and Canadian publishers expected to test the boundaries of fair use in the context of generative AI.
Broader Implications for AI Development and Copyright
The delay of Media Manager reflects broader tensions in the AI industry, where innovation often collides with ethical and legal accountability. OpenAI’s licensing agreements with major publishers suggest a willingness to collaborate, but smaller creators and independent media outlets are often left unprotected.
Without a functional tool like Media Manager, creators face uncertainty about how their work is used, while OpenAI risks further reputational damage and legal setbacks. As lawsuits unfold, the outcome could establish new precedents for copyright law, influencing how AI systems are trained and regulated worldwide.
