TOKYO -- As the use of generative AI search services expands, media organizations in Japan are taking a firmer stance against "free riding" on news content. Behind this is a sense of crisis about a stark fact: Without fair compensation, journalism will decline, threatening the very foundations of democracy.
News outlets invest significant time and resources to produce articles through domestic and international reporting networks. When generative AI search services tap this journalism without paying, it not only saps the strength of the media but also risks undermining trust in journalism and threatening the public's right to know.
A Mainichi Shimbun investigation found that the service operated by U.S.-based Perplexity AI Inc. had "hallucinations" -- convincingly presented but incorrect information. For example, in response to a question about photographer Yuka Komatsu, it cited the Mainichi Shimbun as a source and claimed she had won the "Kochi nonfiction award." In reality, she had received the "Kaiko Takeshi nonfiction award."
AI errors threaten the public's right to know
In a letter of protest to Perplexity AI, The Mainichi Newspapers Co. criticized such misrepresentation as a serious illegal act that severely damages the newspaper's credibility and undermines the reliability of news organizations and the foundations of democracy. Nikkei Inc. and The Asahi Shimbun Co. have made similar arguments in a lawsuit. The supply of false information deprives users of the opportunity to access accurate news. Furthermore, if declining revenues force news organizations to shrink their reporting networks, leading to the expansion of "news deserts" with no journalists, this could impact the public's right to know.
Lawsuits against generative AI companies are also ongoing overseas. In 2023, the New York Times sued OpenAI and its investor Microsoft Corp. In 2024, Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal, and others filed suit against Perplexity AI, and the BBC demanded a halt to unauthorized use of its articles.
At the same time, some partnerships are emerging. In August, Perplexity AI launched the paid news site "Comet Plus," which returns a portion of revenue to participating media outlets. The Washington Post, CNN and others have joined. The Associated Press announced in 2023 that it would provide some articles to OpenAI, and in January this year, to Google. In May, the New York Times signed a content deal with Amazon.
(Japanese original by Ryota Saito, Tokyo City News Department, and Richi Tanaka, Digital News Group)
Comment by Atsushi Udagawa, associate professor of media studies at Tokyo's Musashi University:
Without cooperation from trusted media such as newspapers, generative AI companies will find it difficult to provide content in the long term. A system that extracts information unilaterally for profit will not be sustainable. The value of media that supports democracy lies in going to the scene, verifying facts and gathering information firsthand. AI lacks the physical presence essential to journalism. To protect journalism, media organizations must now consider, as an industry, how to build connections with readers while maintaining their public mission.