AI chatbots use Canadian news, but Ottawa won't say if they should ...
During a recent shareholder meeting, GameStop's stock took a significant hit as few details about the company's future strategy emerged. The federal government in Ottawa has been evading questions regarding whether artificial intelligence companies should compensate Canadian news publishers for the content used by their chatbots.
AI Services and Canadian News
Following the passing of the Online News Act by the Liberal government last year, certain tech companies are mandated to engage in negotiations with news publishers to obtain licensing agreements for the use of their content. However, it remains unclear whether this legislation should extend to AI services, including popular chatbots like Microsoft's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Meta AI.
Government Response
Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge's office mentioned that they are closely monitoring the advancements in artificial intelligence and their impact on the news sector. Companies were required to disclose to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission whether the law applies to their platforms, with Meta stating that they are exempt due to sourcing information from unrestricted web sources.
Prime Minister's Perspective
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau avoided directly addressing whether AI companies should compensate for Canadian news usage, emphasizing the importance of platforms taking responsibility for their actions. He urged platforms to uphold leadership and responsibility regarding journalism, free speech, and combating hate speech.
