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OpenAI and Anthropic may use investor funds to settle AI copyright lawsuits – FT

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OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly considering using investor funds to help cover potential multibillion-dollar settlements linked to ongoing AI copyright lawsuits, according to the Financial Times. Several lawsuits filed by authors, publishers, and media companies accuse major tech firms — including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta — of using copyrighted materials without permission to train their AI models.

The report said OpenAI has arranged insurance coverage of up to $300 million through Aon for emerging AI-related risks, though some sources claimed the actual figure is “significantly lower.” Experts said such coverage is still far short of the amount needed to offset massive legal liabilities.

Aon’s head of cyber risk, Kevin Kalinich, told the FT that the insurance industry currently lacks “enough capacity” to adequately protect AI model providers. As a result, OpenAI has discussed self-insurance options, including setting up a captive fund to ringfence investor capital against potential future claims.

Anthropic, meanwhile, is also using internal funds to prepare for possible settlements. Last month, a U.S. federal judge preliminarily approved a $1.5 billion class-action settlement involving authors’ copyright claims against Anthropic.

Neither company has publicly commented on the report, and Reuters could not independently verify the details. The cases highlight the growing legal and financial challenges facing leading AI developers as governments and creators push back on data use practices.

Google Pledges $1 Billion for AI Training at U.S. Universities

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Alphabet’s Google (GOOGL.O) announced a $1 billion, three-year commitment to support artificial intelligence training and tools at U.S. higher education institutions and nonprofits. Over 100 universities, including major public systems like Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina, have joined the initiative so far.

The program will provide participating schools with cash funding and resources such as cloud computing credits to facilitate AI training for students and research projects in AI-related fields. The $1 billion figure also includes the value of paid AI tools, including an advanced version of Google’s Gemini chatbot, offered free to college students.

Google aims to expand the program to every accredited nonprofit college across the U.S. and is exploring similar initiatives internationally, said Senior Vice President James Manyika. However, he did not disclose how much of the commitment represents direct funding versus cloud credits and software licenses.

This move follows similar efforts by AI competitors like OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon, and Microsoft, the latter having pledged $4 billion to boost AI education globally. By introducing their AI tools to students early, tech companies hope to foster long-term adoption as these students join the workforce.

Despite some concerns around AI’s impact on education, including issues like academic dishonesty and critical thinking erosion, Manyika said Google has encountered little resistance from university administrators but expects ongoing discussions about best practices.

“We’re hoping to learn together with these institutions about how best to use these tools,” he said, emphasizing the initiative’s collaborative nature and potential to influence future AI product development.

Surge AI Eyes Up to $1 Billion Capital Raise Amid Growth and Competition with Scale AI

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Surge AI, a fast-growing data-labeling company competing directly with Scale AI, is reportedly preparing to raise as much as $1 billion in its first-ever capital fundraising, according to sources cited by Reuters. Founded by former Google and Meta engineer Edwin Chen, Surge AI aims for a valuation exceeding $15 billion, although talks remain in the early stages and the final amount could be higher. The planned funding round would include both primary capital to fuel growth and secondary capital to provide liquidity for employees.

Surge AI has achieved profitability and has been bootstrapped since its 2020 founding. It generated over $1 billion in revenue last year, surpassing Scale AI’s $870 million revenue for the same period. By comparison, Scale AI was last valued at $14 billion in a funding round last year, and more recently at nearly $29 billion following Meta’s strategic investment, which included hiring Scale’s CEO Alexandr Wang to lead Meta’s Superintelligence Labs.

The surge in interest for Surge AI coincides with a shift among some major AI customers, such as Google and OpenAI, who are reportedly moving away from Scale AI due to concerns about sharing sensitive research priorities with Meta, Scale’s largest investor. Despite this, Scale AI maintains its business remains strong and reassures clients about data protection.

Surge AI has grown quietly but rapidly, becoming a major player in the data labeling space, distinguished by its use of a network of highly skilled contractors rather than large pools of low-cost labor. Its premium services cater to leading AI labs including Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

As reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) becomes critical for training advanced AI, the need for precise, nuanced data labeling has soared, benefiting companies like Surge AI. However, some investors remain cautious about the sector due to its traditionally low margins and reliance on human labor, which could face automation pressures as AI technologies advance.