The
problem is people at large companies creating these AI models, wanting the freedom to copy artists’ works when using it, but these large companies
also want to keep copyright protection intact, for their regular business activities. They want to eat the cake and have it too. And they are arguing for essentially eliminating copyright for
their specific purpose and convenience, when copyright has virtually never been loosened for the public’s convenience, even when the exceptions the public asks for are often minor and laudable. If these companies were to argue that copyright should be
eliminated because of this new technology, I might not object. But now that they come and ask… no, they
pretend to already have, a copyright exception for their specific use, I will
happily turn around and use their own copyright maximalist arguments against them.
(Copied from a comment of mine written more than three years ago: <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33582047>)