Microsoft AI CEO thinks you agreed to a ‘social contract’ for AI training

Is everything on the open web fair game for AI training?

Microsoft AI CEO thinks you agreed to a ‘social contract’ for AI training
Microsoft logo at MWC
Credit: Kris Carlon / Android Authority
  • Microsoft AI CEO sparked controversy when he likened the Internet to “freeware” for AI training.
  • He suggested that the Internet’s “social contract” allows for the unrestricted use of public content for AI training.
  • The online community reacted strongly, seeing his stance as a misinterpretation of fair use and a disregard for content creators’ rights.

Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, recently found himself at the center of a heated debate following a contentious statement made at the Aspen Ideas Festival. He suggested that the Internet essentially functions as “freeware” for training AI models, a claim that has drawn sharp criticism from content creators and general users.

Around the 13-minute mark in this interview, the host raised concerns about AI training using online content, addressing the presence of many authors in the audience and mentioning OpenAI’s use of YouTube video transcripts for training its models.