OpenAI’s AI Training Opt-Out Tool for Creators Might Be Delayed

OpenAI, in May, announced a new machine learning (ML) tool that could enable creators to specify whether they wanted OpenAI to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models on their content or not. Dubbed Media Manager, the tool was said to identify copyrighted text, images, audio, and videos across multiple sources and could reflect creators’ preferences. However, the company has yet to launch the tool, and as per a report, the development and release of Media Manager is not a priority.

According to a TechCrunch report, the AI firm does not view the tool as an important project internally. Unnamed people familiar with the matter told the publication that it was likely not a priority for OpenAI and that nobody was working on it. Another unnamed source reportedly highlighted that while the tool was discussed in the past, there have not been any recent updates on it.

Additionally, TechCrunch was told by the company that a member of its legal team who was working on the AI tool, Fred von Lohmann, was transitioned to a part-time consultant role in October 2024. These developments potentially indicate that the AI tool is not part of the company’s short-term roadmap. Notably, it has been seven months since the first mentions of Media Manager.

The AI tool was the company’s way of providing creators a way to exclude their copyrighted content from being used to train OpenAI’s large language models (LLMs). The company also has a form-based process that creators can use to tell the ChatGPT maker to remove any copyrighted material from its AI model’s training data. However, it is a cumbersome process where complainants are required to list every item of their content and describe it for the AI firm to take action on it.

Media Manager, instead, would use AI and ML processes to auto-detect content across websites and other sources and would cross-check with the names of the creators who have opted out of AI training.

Several domain experts reportedly expressed concerns over the efficiency of the AI tool and highlighted that even giant platforms such as YouTube and TikTok struggle with content identification at scale. Others have reportedly criticised OpenAI’s Media Manager for putting the burden of opting out on creators who might not even know about such an AI tool.