Axel Scheffler considers legal action against OpenAI

Axel Scheffler, the illustrator known for the children's book character ‘The Gruffalo’, is considering a lawsuit against OpenAI. Scheffler expressed dismay to the newspaper ‘Die Zeit’ regarding ChatGPT’s ability to generate images in his specific style within minutes of a request. He noted that while backgrounds may differ, the character itself is clearly his creation.

Scheffler is discussing potential support from his publishers and expressed a desire to join forces with other artists for collective legal action. This follows a similar legal move by Penguin Random House, which has already sued OpenAI over alleged copyright infringements related to the ‘Coconut the Little Dragon’ series by Ingo Siegner. The publisher claims the chatbot reproduces protected content and generates manuscripts and illustrations that closely mimic original works.

OpenAI stated it is reviewing the allegations and maintains that it respects the rights of authors and rights holders. The company noted it is engaged in discussions with various publishers globally to explore how they might benefit from AI technology.