ChatGPT generates fake New Yorker cartoons, complete with artist signatures

OpenAI's ChatGPT is facing renewed criticism over plagiarism concerns after reports revealed the chatbot is generating images mimicking New Yorker cartoons, complete with the forged signatures of real staff artists. According to Nieman Lab, the AI reproduces the publication's distinct style and affixes names of professional cartoonists to the images without permission or compensation. While OpenAI has a partnership with Condé Nast for content usage, the publisher clarified that this agreement does not authorize the training of models on cartoons or the replication of artist signatures. OpenAI stated it is working to address these unintended behaviors and has implemented guardrails that trigger warnings when users request New Yorker-style content. Despite these measures, reports indicate that the model continues to produce imitations. The incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding copyright, data scraping, and the protection of human creators in the era of generative AI.