Avoid The "Oops" Moment In Court
Why is it smart to double-check your work before posting it online? I came across an article that makes a perfect example. I couldn't tell if the content was made up by AI or if a lawyer got creative in court. Either way, it shows how important it is to review your work before you share it with everyone. Taking a few extra minutes can help you catch mistakes and avoid confusion later.
Oops
Anthropic, an AI company, faces allegations that it submitted a false source created by artificial intelligence in a court filing. The filing was part of Anthropic’s defense against a copyright lawsuit brought by major music publishers.
Key Points (Background)
- The lawsuit involves Universal Music Group, Concord, and ABKCO.
- These publishers accuse Anthropic of using their song lyrics without permission to train its chatbot, Claude.
- During a hearing, a lawyer for the publishers said an Anthropic data scientist cited an academic article that does not exist. This citation was intended to support Anthropic’s defense.
- U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen called the issue serious. She noted a clear difference between a simple citation mistake and a fabricated source generated by AI, often called a "hallucination."
- The judge ordered Anthropic to respond to the allegation by Thursday.
- Anthropic claims this was an unintentional citation error.
- The judge declined the request from publishers to immediately question the expert involved.
- Anthropic’s representatives have not commented publicly since the hearing.
Broader Issue
This case is part of several ongoing lawsuits where copyright owners claim tech companies misuse their content to train AI tools.
Summary
Anthropic is under scrutiny for allegedly submitting an AI-made false citation in defense against copyright claims. The court views the issue as serious and expects a clear response from the company. The case highlights tensions between content owners and AI developers over training data rights.
The original article can be found on Reuters or by clicking Here
Final Thoughts
So, next time you’re about to hit that “publish” button, take a moment to look over your work. Double-checking might save you from embarrassing mistakes or even bigger problems, like being called out in court for using made-up sources. Whether you’re writing a blog post, sharing an opinion, or putting together a legal document, a quick review is always worth it. Keep it real, keep it accurate, and your online presence will thank you, or they may not even notice at all. Either way, checking your work and providing factual information is always a good idea!
Recent Comments
8
Interesting, Michael. How would we know if it's real or made up if we don't know the subject really deeply?
I always check my AI work and often rephrase it to have bullet points, add my personal notes, etc.
Teri
The short answer is to research your topic.
We all know AI has the ability to make bold statements at times or possibly inflate the truth. The only way to be sure is to verify facts, be it from your competitors, government websites, or other trusted sources.
AI also tends to be biased one way or another at times on specific topics. So be careful.
Michael
Good advice, Michael!
I wish people would do more proof reading before sending text messages too!
Tim 🎼
My fingers sometimes have a potty mouth when typing, so text messages should be proofread too! lol
I ask the AI Writer in the optional box to state its sources so I can do a quick check.
Here is a recent example - I have a parenting website:
Did you know? If a child knows 8 nursery rhymes by heart by the time they are 4 years old, they are usually among the best readers and spellers in their class by the time they are 8. (Fox, M. 2001)
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Good warning. Knowing that there is a chance of winding up with an obvious error in our efforts to build trust with our readers is important.
I know that when I read something in which the author tries to convey a vast knowledge of the Wild West, for instance, if there is a hint that this person's information came through Hollywood via a movie, they are not trustworthy for me.
An important part of gaining trust is reviewing our replies.
Thanks,
Sami