PP1 - Crisis Public Relations

 

Introduction:

OpenAI has come under growing criticism lately, with writers, publishers, and media outlets alleging the company has been violating their copyrights by utilizing their content without permission to train its AI, as well as concerns around users' privacy, specifically the amount of time user conversations are stored and what happens to erased chats. Lawsuits by The New York Times, Ziff Davis, and others have accused OpenAI of plagiarizing reporting work and other copyrighted materials, verbatim in some instances, in violation of intellectual property rights. On the privacy side, there has been criticism against data retention policies, what safety nets are in place when content is "deleted," and how suits force the company to maintain output logs forever. Reacting back, OpenAI has justified its methods by citing the doctrine of fair use, providing opt-out procedures for rights holders, asserting that "regurgitation" of copyrighted work is rare and inadvertent, and protesting court rulings it perceives as overbroad on privacy. These answers have prospered to an uncertain extent: some courts have allowed copyright litigation to proceed, denying motions to dismiss, and OpenAI has had to make adjustments (for example by agreeing to provide more nuanced control to copyright owners in future tools). Though its arguments of fair use and harm minimization are still put to the test in the courts, public trust is nevertheless fragile this far, OpenAI has minimized some legal risk and made policy concessions, but full resolution by no means guaranteed.

 NY Times Copyright:

The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft in late 2023, alleging that their AI models used millions of the newspaper’s articles without permission to train ChatGPT and other products. The Times argued this amounted to copyright infringement and unfairly allowed AI tools to compete with its journalism. OpenAI countered that its use of publicly available data qualifies as “fair use” under U.S. law and that it’s working to license content responsibly. The case highlights growing tensions between AI developers and media organizations over how creative and journalistic work is used to build large language models.

NY Times VS. Open AI

Ziff Davis Lawsuit:

Ziff Davis filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, accusing the company of copyright infringement, DMCA violations, unjust enrichment, and trademark dilution. The complaint claims OpenAI scraped and stored Ziff Davis’s articles (including from sites like CNET, PCMag, IGN) without permission, allegedly even bypassing its robots.txt settings and removing copyright metadata.

ZiffDavis VS. Open AI

OpenAI Response:

OpenAI’s responses to criticism have been a mix of quick fixes and slow adjustments. The company often reacts under pressure, changing policies or tools after backlash instead of anticipating issues early. For example, it updated its copyright “opt-out” policy to give creators more control and has made public statements stressing its focus on safety, privacy, and working with regulators. While OpenAI continues to fight lawsuits and make product updates like new creator tools and guardrails, critics and employees still say its actions can feel unclear, slow, and not transparent enough.

"Opt-out" Policy

Response to Backlash

How Successful Have Responses Been:

OpenAI’s overall success has been mixed. The company continues to grow rapidly, attract investment, and lead the AI industry, but it’s also facing ongoing criticism and mounting scrutiny. Regular pressure has become a serious challenge, with agencies like the FTC investigating its data practices and multiple lawsuits pushing for more oversight, meaning OpenAI can no longer operate as freely as before. On the positive side, it has built some partnerships with publishers and news outlets, offering more control and potential revenue-sharing options for content creators, which has eased some tension but not ended the criticism. Still, trust remains fragile concerns about privacy, safety, and internal transparency continue to surface, especially as employees and whistleblowers raise questions about company culture. The public’s perception of OpenAI is cautious; many people appreciate its innovations but doubt its claims about safety and responsible AI use, especially after controversies over data retention and misleading outputs. Ultimately, the company’s future stability may depend on court rulings and new regulations, since any major legal losses or strict new rules could force OpenAI to make bigger changes to how it operates.

Media's Narrative:

The media often portrays OpenAI as both a groundbreaking innovator and a company moving too fast for its own good. On one hand, it’s praised for pushing the limits of what artificial intelligence can do developing tools that are reshaping industries and daily life. On the other hand, reporters and critics frequently argue that OpenAI’s rapid growth has outpaced its internal oversight, raising questions about safety, transparency, and fairness toward creators whose work helped train these systems. The conversation around OpenAI usually centers on a few key contrasts: innovation versus recklessness, public benefit versus private profit, and technical brilliance versus ethical responsibility. Many stories highlight the tension between the company’s drive to launch new products quickly and the need to ensure those same technologies are safe, reliable, and respectful of the people they impact.

Media's Narrative

OpenAI Weak Points:

Despite its progress, OpenAI still faces several unresolved issues that continue to draw criticism. Many people argue the company isn’t transparent enough about how it collects training data, what happens to user information, or how thoroughly it tests models before releasing them. Inside the company, whistleblower reports and open letters suggest some employees fear speaking up about problems, pointing to weak internal oversight and limited protection for those who raise concerns. There are also ongoing questions about user consent, especially around data deletion and whether people fully understand what they agree to in the terms of service. Creators, meanwhile, remain divided, some appreciate OpenAI’s new licensing and compensation options, while others say the process is confusing or insufficient. Finally, critics worry that OpenAI’s safeguards aren’t keeping pace with the power of its technology, warning that newer tools could be misused for deepfakes, misinformation, or other harmful purposes if stronger protections aren’t put in place.

OpenAI Evaluations

Conclusion:

In conclusion, OpenAI has made significant strides in developing powerful AI tools, but its rapid growth has brought serious legal, ethical, and public relations challenges. Lawsuits from major media organizations like The New York Times and Ziff Davis highlight ongoing concerns about copyright infringement and the fair use of creative content. While the company has implemented measures such as opt-out policies, creator tools, and public commitments to safety and privacy, these responses have often been seen as reactive and sometimes insufficient. Media coverage continues to frame OpenAI as both an innovative leader and a company struggling to balance speed with responsibility. Trust remains fragile, with critics, employees, and the public questioning transparency, oversight, and safeguards against misuse. Ultimately, OpenAI’s ability to maintain its position and public confidence will depend on how it navigates legal rulings, regulatory pressure, and the evolving expectations of creators and users.

[This was made with the help of AI]