OpenAI’s Media Manager, an AI-powered tool announced in May to help creators exclude their copyrighted content from AI training, is reportedly not a priority for the company. The tool was designed to automatically identify and respect creators’ preferences regarding copyrighted text, images, audio, and video. However, as per a recent report by TechCrunch, development on Media Manager appears stalled, with no active progress being made.
Media Manager Delayed: What Happened?
The TechCrunch report cites unnamed sources familiar with OpenAI’s internal operations, suggesting that the tool is no longer viewed as a significant project. One source indicated that no team is currently working on Media Manager, and discussions about the tool have been sparse in recent months.
Further casting doubt on its release, Fred von Lohmann, a key legal team member involved in the tool’s development, transitioned to a part-time consulting role in October 2024. This move has led to speculation that Media Manager may not feature in OpenAI’s short-term roadmap.
Current Alternatives and Challenges
Media Manager was intended to offer creators a streamlined, automated process to opt out of having their content used for training OpenAI’s large language models (LLMs). In the absence of this tool, OpenAI continues to rely on a manual, form-based process for creators to request removal of their copyrighted material. This alternative is widely regarded as cumbersome, requiring creators to list and describe each piece of content they wish to exclude.
Media Manager aimed to simplify this by leveraging AI to detect content across the web and match it with creators’ opt-out requests. However, domain experts have expressed skepticism over the feasibility of such a system. Even major platforms like YouTube and TikTok face challenges in accurately identifying and managing copyrighted content at scale.
Criticism of the Opt-Out Burden
Critics have also highlighted an inherent issue with OpenAI’s approach: placing the burden of opting out on creators. Many creators might be unaware of the tool’s existence or lack the resources to navigate such processes.
Seven months since its announcement, Media Manager remains in limbo, raising questions about OpenAI’s commitment to addressing concerns over the use of copyrighted material in AI training. For now, creators seeking to protect their content must continue using the company’s manual opt-out process, a method many consider inadequate.
