In a recent development within the realm of artificial intelligence, OpenAI has announced the creation of a new model specifically designed for creative writing, which CEO Sam Altman described as a significant improvement over previous offerings. This revelation has intensified the ongoing dialogue between the tech sector and creative industries as issues of copyright remain at the forefront.
During a post shared on the social media platform X, Altman disclosed that this new model is something he found to be striking compared to other AI-generated texts. He stated, "We trained a new model that is good at creative writing (not sure yet how/when it will get released). This is the first time I have been really struck by something written by AI." The model has not yet been named, nor is there a definitive timeline for its public release.
In conjunction with this announcement, Altman shared a metafictional short story produced by the AI, which explores themes of artificial intelligence and grief. The story opens by acknowledging its own constraints as a machine generating text, stating, "Before we go any further, I should admit this comes with instructions: be metafictional, be literary, be about AI and grief, and above all, be original." The narrative features a fictional character named Mila and reflects on its own nature as an amalgamation of human expressions.
The development has raised substantial concerns within the creative sectors, particularly regarding copyright issues. AI systems like ChatGPT are trained on extensive datasets that include copyrighted material. This practice has led to ongoing legal disputes; for instance, The New York Times is currently suing OpenAI for an alleged breach of copyright, while several authors, including Ta-Nehisi Coates and comedian Sarah Silverman, are taking legal action against Meta on similar grounds.
In the UK, the government is proposing guidelines that would allow AI companies to utilise copyrighted works for model training without requiring permission, a move that has attracted considerable criticism from those within creative industries. Dan Conway, the chief executive of the UK Publishers Association, articulated a viewpoint shared by many in literature and the arts, stating that Altman’s announcement serves as "further proof that these models are training on copyright-protected literary content." He urged Altman to "make it fair."
While the new creative writing model has garnered attention for its potential capabilities, it also encapsulates a broader tension between technological innovation and the preservation of artistic integrity. Critics of AI in creative writing argue that artificial intelligence lacks the intrinsic creativity that stems from human experience and emotion. The development raises essential questions about the role of AI in art and whether it can genuinely replace the nuanced expression found in human-created work.
As the tech industry continues to evolve, the intersection of AI and creative writing remains a complex issue, with implications that could shape the future of both sectors.
Source: Noah Wire Services