.png)
January 2, 2025
Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing rapidly, and large language models like ChatGPT are playing an increasingly important role. These models require enormous amounts of data for their training and further development. A significant component of this data is information from the internet. Website operators, however, have options to control how their content is used by AI systems like ChatGPT Search.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, uses a web crawler called GPTBot to gather information from the internet. This bot crawls websites and collects data that is used to improve the AI models. OpenAI argues that access to this data helps to make the models more accurate, powerful, and safe. The collected information feeds into the training of the AI and helps it generate human-like text and answer questions.
Website operators have the ability to control GPTBot's access to their content. Similar to controlling search engine crawlers, access can be regulated via the "robots.txt" file. Through corresponding entries in this file, website operators can either completely exclude the bot from their site or restrict access to specific directories and categories.
The decision of whether to release their own content for the training of AI models presents website operators with a dilemma. On the one hand, sharing can contribute to advancing AI development and benefiting from the advantages of more powerful models. On the other hand, there is the risk that their own content will be used without appropriate compensation. Similar to indexing by search engines, a dependency on the AI provider arises, as presence in the AI ecosystem becomes increasingly important.
The situation is comparable to the indexing of websites by search engines like Google. Here, too, websites benefit from being discoverable by the search engine, but at the same time make their content available for free. Unlike search engines, which usually direct users to the original website, AI chatbots often deliver the desired information directly, without the user having to visit the website. This can lead to a decrease in visitor numbers and advertising revenue for website operators.
The use of copyrighted content for the training of AI models raises legal and ethical questions. It is still unclear to what extent the use of web content for AI training purposes is covered by copyright. Publishers and other content providers are already demanding appropriate compensation for the use of their content. The discussion about the legal framework for data collection by AI models is still in its early stages.
The development of AI language models and their influence on the internet are dynamic processes. Website operators must grapple with the possibilities of data control and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of data sharing. The future design of the relationship between AI providers and content creators will significantly influence the success and acceptance of AI systems.
