OTTAWA – Canada’s federal government is dodging the question of whether AI companies should pay Canadian news publishers for content that openly uses their chatbots.
Last year, the Liberal government passed the Online News Act, which requires technology companies to negotiate licensing agreements with news publishers to use their content.
AI chatbots are growing in popularity, with models like Microsoft’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Meta AI using Canadian news to either train or provide answers to users’ questions.
The office of Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge says it is up to the Canadian Broadcasting Regulatory Authority to determine whether AI services convey news within the meaning of the law.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was recently asked in a New York Times technology podcast whether the law should be extended to AI.
He avoided the question and said it was the responsibility of the platforms to act responsibly.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2024.
The Canadian Press
The federal government is dodging the question of whether tech giants should pay Canadian news publishers for their content that openly uses AI chatbots. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives in Zurich on Saturday, June 15, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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