I asked ChatGPT - Do you think LLM algorithm platforms should pay the authors of texts they use to train the models?

2025-01-30
It’s a complex issue, but in general, there are compelling arguments for compensating authors whose work is used to train large language models (LLMs).

1. Intellectual Property and Fair Use: Authors create content with the expectation that their work is protected by copyright. While LLMs can draw on publicly available information and sometimes fair use doctrine could apply, if models rely on substantial portions of copyrighted texts without permission or compensation, it raises ethical questions.

2. Value Creation: LLMs generate value from the vast amounts of data they’re trained on. Since this training data often includes texts that required time, creativity, and effort to produce, there’s a strong argument that authors should share in the economic benefits that result from the use of their work.

3. Incentives for Creation: Paying authors could encourage more high-quality content creation. If authors know they’ll be compensated for their work when used in AI training, it could ensure a continual flow of diverse, high-quality data and incentivize others to contribute to the pool of training resources.

4. Equitable Access to Earning: As AI becomes more pervasive in various sectors, the conversation about fair compensation will only grow. This would also likely address concerns about certain companies profiting disproportionately from the labor of content creators.

On the flip side, there are practical challenges, like determining what counts as “fair use” versus using texts in a manner that justifies payment. However, many experts advocate for a clearer legal framework to ensure creators are compensated, perhaps in a way that balances innovation and fair use.

What’s your take on this? Would authors benefit from a compensation model?