Copyright lawsuits are abounding against generative AI. Since the advent of ChatGPT in late 2022, various companies, artists, and writers have raised concerns over AI’s plagiaristic tendencies. Robert J. Marks, host of the Mind Matters podcast, has the story over at Newsmax. Marks recalls the debacle of Napster, a music streaming service that provided music for “free” without payment to the artists. Not surprisingly, it was soon shut down. So how will it fare with generative AI? What’s the solution to all the impending legal woes in the realm of AI? Marks writes,

Today’s Spotify keeps automatic records of song frequency and, from subscriber’s payments, distributes royalties accordingly.

Similar methods could be applied to compensate content creators by generative AI. It’s not possible to trace every AI output to its sources, so AI content generators would need to record and report their use of copyrighted material.

But generative AI companies like OpenAI currently tend to keep their processes secretive. A compromise where they identify and agree to pay royalties for copyrighted material usage could potentially resolve copyright disputes.

-Robert J. Marks, ChatGPT, Napster and Spotify: Will History Repeat Itself? | Newsmax.com

Marks predicts that eventually, the likes of ChatGPT will no longer be free to use. Like Spotify, users will have to pay a fee for the service in order for human creators to actually get paid. In this way, Napster’s downfall could serve as a prophetic lesson for generative AI. Be sure to read the whole article here.