Carlsen Verlag Sues OpenAI Over AI Generated Children's Book Content

The Carlsen Verlag publishing house has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI Ireland Ltd. over the unauthorized use of the children's book series Das NEINhorn. The publisher, author Marc-Uwe Kling, and illustrator Astrid Henn allege that their copyright has been violated because ChatGPT can generate stories and illustrations that are nearly indistinguishable from the original works. According to Carlsen, simple prompts lead the AI to produce texts and images that mirror the essential creative elements of the series. The publisher further claims that ChatGPT provides complete print templates including covers, imprints, and fake order numbers or ISBNs. Carlsen argues that the high level of detail indicates the original works were used illegally to train OpenAI's language and image models through memorization. Illustrator Astrid Henn described the use of her work as theft, while Marc-Uwe Kling compared the action to illegal downloading of films or books. A center-right source noted that in a test, the AI produced a seven page mockup in under two minutes, though the AI claimed it could not create an exact continuation in the original style. The lawsuit seeks to stop the unlicensed use of the works, force the disclosure of irregularities, and secure compensation for damages.