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News Corp CEO Robert Thomson slams AI firms for stealing copyrighted material like Trump's ‘Art of the Deal'
New York Post· 2025-08-06 21:22
Core Viewpoint - News Corp CEO Robert Thomson has called for the White House to take action against AI companies that are allegedly using copyrighted material without permission, highlighting the impact on authors and publishers, including President Trump's works [1][4][5] Group 1: AI and Copyright Issues - Thomson criticized AI firms for "cannibalizing" copyrighted works, specifically mentioning Trump's book "The Art of the Deal," which he claims has been exploited by AI systems [1][4] - The lawsuit against Meta involved over 190,000 protected works, including Trump's book, raising questions about the fairness of creators being deprived of their rights [2][4] - News Corp is suing AI startup Perplexity for allegedly stealing content to train its language model, emphasizing the need for AI companies to compensate content creators [5][17] Group 2: Economic and Competitive Concerns - Thomson warned that the practices of AI firms could undermine America's competitive edge, which relies on creativity and innovation rather than just technology [6] - He urged AI companies to allocate a portion of their substantial investments in infrastructure towards compensating content creators, highlighting that they are spending tens of billions on data centers and chips [10][9] - News Corp reported a profit of $648 million and announced a $1 billion stock buyback, indicating strong financial performance amidst these challenges [16] Group 3: Long-term Implications for Content Quality - Thomson expressed concerns about the long-term health of the content ecosystem, arguing that AI companies should support diverse and reliable sources of information rather than creating a "deeply derivative" system [13][12] - He noted that audiences are seeking profound and purposeful content, which could be jeopardized by the current practices of AI firms [13] - News Corp has been vocal in demanding compensation from AI firms for the use of their content, indicating a proactive stance in protecting intellectual property rights [14][18]
Robert Thomson, CEO Of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, Waggishly Notes That Donald Trump Is Among Authors Hurt By “Blatant Theft” Of AI: “The Art Of The Deal Has Become The Art Of The Steal”
Deadline· 2025-08-05 21:34
Core Viewpoint - News Corp's CEO Robert Thomson highlighted the challenges posed by AI to intellectual property, referencing Donald Trump's situation in the context of the company's fiscal fourth quarter earnings report [1][3][5]. Group 1: Company Earnings and AI Impact - Thomson cleverly referenced Trump in the earnings report without directly mentioning the lawsuit or Epstein, indicating a potential thaw in relations between Murdoch and Trump [2]. - The earnings release emphasized the irony of Trump, as an intellectual property holder, being affected by AI, despite his support for tech firms in AI development [3]. - Thomson stated that companies are investing tens of billions in data centers, chips, and energy generation, and they must also invest significantly in content to ensure a healthy content ecosystem [8]. Group 2: Intellectual Property and Legal Actions - News Corp has been actively pursuing legal options to protect its intellectual property, including a lawsuit against AI firm Perplexity for allegedly using its content without permission [4][9]. - Thomson stressed the importance of protecting intellectual property rights, arguing that undermining these rights would damage America's creative advantage [5]. - The company is adopting a "woo-and-sue" strategy towards AI firms, indicating a dual approach of collaboration and legal action to safeguard its content [9].