The Guardian’s block on ChatGPT using its content is bad news

‘If ChatGPT is denied access to the Guardian and the New York Times, and is force-fed a diet of the Daily Mail and the Sun, it is not hard to predict the outcome.’ Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/ Getty Images

I was disappointed to read that the Guardian has followed other organisations in preventing OpenAI from harvesting its content for training (The Guardian blocks ChatGPT owner OpenAI from trawling its content, 1 September). While I understand the importance of protecting intellectual property, what worries me is the quality of information that will be left for training artificial intelligence. Whether we like it or not, generative AI will augment, complement and in some instances replace how news content is created, as well as other aspects central to our lives.

There is a need for a wider debate, which should include commercial arrangements around intellectual property. However, I for one would prefer that generative AIs are trained on information that can be both trusted and respected.
Praveen Naidoo
Barnstaple, Devon