Google is being sued for stealing user data and violating copyright laws when developing its AI products. In a federal court in California on Tuesday, a proposed class action lawsuit was filed against Google, its parent company Alphabet, and its AI subsidiary DeepMind.

The case was filed by Clarkson Law Firm, which did the same thing last month when it sued OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT.

According to the lawsuit, Google gathered data from hundreds of millions of Americans that was developed and disseminated online using a covert data theft scheme.

It asserts that Google utilized this information to train Bard, one of its AI chatbots, and that Google, in essence, exploited all of its users' digital footprints, including creative and copyrighted works, to create its AI solutions, according to CNN.

Halimah DeLaine Prado, general counsel for Google, disputed the lawsuit's assertions and said they were unfounded. Prado stressed that Google has been clear about using publicly accessible data, such as information on the internet and open datasets, to properly train AI models and adhere to the company's AI Principles.

The utilization of publicly available information to develop new, beneficial applications is supported by American law, and we look forward to debunking these unfounded assertions, Prado said.

Alphabet and DeepMind have yet to respond to requests for comment at publication.

Google Allegedly Did Not Seek Permission From Users

Regarding OpenAI's chatbot, ChatGPT, Clarkson Law Firm has previously brought a similar legal action against the company. These legal actions constitute the first protests against exploiting internet-sourced personal data to train profitable AI systems. 

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Chatbots like Bard and ChatGPT are trained to replicate human-like discussions using vast volumes of user-generated data, including occasional errors.

Clarkson Law Firm managing partner Ryan Clarkson alleged that "Google has been taking everything ever created or shared online by millions of internet users," which comprises personal data, creative pieces, and "professional works." He added that the major tech company utilizes the gathered data "to train and build commercial AI Products."

Case Aims to Halt AI Development

Clarkson argues that Google obtained this data clandestinely over an extended period without informing or seeking consent from anyone, per The Messenger.

The law firm emphasized that Google does not possess ownership or control over the internet, individuals' creative endeavors, personal expressions, images of families and children, or any other content simply due to its online sharing.

The case was filed when AI technologies that generate text and visuals in response to user input have drawn much interest.

However, as seen in the Google case, using copyrighted works within these data sets and the possible exploitation of private and sensitive information from regular users, including minors, have generated rising legal attention.

The lawsuit asks for an immediate halt to the commercial use of Google's generative AI tools, including Bard, and their development.

The plaintiffs also demand monetary damages and cash compensation for those whose data Google allegedly misused-eight plaintiffs-including a minor-support Clarkson Law Firm's case, as reported by CTV News.

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