In today’s news, OpenAI argued that ChatGPT data removal in India will breach US legal obligations, as it must preserve training data under U.S. law. OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed AI firm, is facing a legal battle in India over allegations of copyright infringement. The news agency ANI has accused OpenAI of using its published content without permission to train the AI chatbot ChatGPT. ANI has also demanded the deletion of its data allegedly stored in ChatGPT’s systems.
ANI filed the lawsuit in the Delhi High Court in November, alleging that OpenAI reproduced extracts of its articles without authorization. ANI claimed that in response to prompts, ChatGPT provided verbatim or closely similar versions of its published works.
The news agency further expressed concerns about unfair competition, as OpenAI has entered into commercial partnerships with major global media organizations, including Time Magazine, the Financial Times, and others.
OpenAI’s Rebuttal in the High Court
OpenAI responded to the lawsuit in an 86-page filing on January 10. It argued that the Delhi High Court lacks jurisdiction over the matter, as OpenAI has no office or permanent establishment in India. The company also stated that its servers are located outside India, making it beyond the court’s reach.
OpenAI denied ANI’s claims, emphasizing that its AI systems rely on publicly available data and adhere to fair use principles. The company accused ANI of attempting to manipulate ChatGPT by using verbatim extracts of its own articles as prompts to prove its case.
Legal Obligation to Preserve Data
One of ANI’s key demands is the deletion of its data from ChatGPT’s systems. OpenAI emphasized that any order for ChatGPT data removal in India will breach US legal obligations requiring data retention during court proceedings. OpenAI countered by stating that U.S. laws require the preservation of training data during ongoing litigation. OpenAI said it is currently defending similar lawsuits in the United States, including cases filed by the New York Times and other publishers.
The company highlighted that it is legally obligated to retain the training data under U.S. regulations until the resolution of pending cases.
ANI’s Stand on Jurisdiction
Despite OpenAI’s jurisdictional objections, ANI maintained that the Delhi High Court has the authority to hear the case. The news agency plans to file a detailed response to OpenAI’s arguments.
According to OpenAI, fulfilling the demand for ChatGPT data removal in India will breach US legal obligations and conflict with US judicial requirements. This case in India mirrors similar lawsuits filed against OpenAI in the United States. Prominent publishers, including the New York Times, have accused OpenAI and Microsoft of unlawfully using their content to train generative AI models.
Publishers argue that such practices harm their ability to deliver exclusive content. OpenAI, however, continues to refute these allegations, citing fair use of publicly available data.
Next Steps in the Case
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the case on January 28. ANI has reiterated its concerns over the misuse of its content and the competitive disadvantage it faces due to OpenAI’s commercial collaborations with other news organizations.
OpenAI’s stance that Indian courts lack jurisdiction reflects the global nature of legal disputes involving technology firms. As OpenAI operates outside India and stores its data on servers located elsewhere, it challenges the ability of Indian courts to enforce local copyright laws against international entities.
OpenAI’s obligation under U.S. laws to preserve training data during litigation further complicates matters. It raises a valid point about conflicting legal requirements between nations, where compliance with one jurisdiction may lead to non-compliance in another.
