Court Docs Show OpenAI and Microsoft Feared Web 'Doom Loop' From AI Training

Newly unsealed court documents from the New York Times' lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft reveal the companies had internal concerns about their AI data practices. Their own documentation allegedly described the scraping of web data to train AI models as the 'largest theft of labor in human history' and a 'complete mockery of fair use.' Many of the striking internal quotes are attributed to Microsoft's Director of Applied Science, Brent Hecht. Microsoft has since sought to distance itself from Hecht's statements, with a company spokesperson responding to the claims. The documents suggest both firms were aware their practices could cause significant harm to the broader web ecosystem.