Court Demands OpenAI Hand Over 20M Anonymized ChatGPT Chats in AI Copyright Dispute

A federal judge in the Southern District of New York upheld a magistrate’s order requiring OpenAI to produce 20 million anonymized ChatGPT conversation logs to news publishers in consolidated copyright cases, rejecting OpenAI’s privacy and burden arguments. Judge Sidney H. Stein found the logs relevant and distinguished prior precedent involving secret SEC call recordings, noting ChatGPT users voluntarily submitted their communications. The ruling, part of broader litigation that could shape how AI companies use copyrighted content, compels OpenAI to provide the full anonymized sample rather than limited search results.