Microsoft to defend customers on AI copyright challenges

Microsoft will pay legal damages on behalf of customers using its artificial intelligence (AI) products if they are sued for copyright infringement for the output generated by such systems, the company said on Thursday. Microsoft will assume responsibility for the potential legal risks arising out of any claims raised by third parties so long as the company's customers use "the guardrails and content filters" built into its products, the company said. With the proliferation of generative AI – computer programs capable of generating text, images, sounds, other data – users have raised concerns over the technology's ability to generate content without referencing it to its original authors.