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Suchir Balaji, a former researcher at OpenAI and a whistleblower who raised concerns about copyright breaches in the development of generative AI, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment. According to the San Francisco police and Medical Examiner's Office, the 26-year-old’s death has been ruled a suicide, with no evidence of foul play. Balaji’s passing has added urgency to the ongoing debates over the ethical and legal implications of AI development.Also Read: "AI’s dark side": OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji’s final post on AI and copyright goes viral after his sudden deathThe InvestigationSan Francisco police responded to a welfare check at Balaji’s Lower Haight residence around 1 pm on November 26 after concerns were raised by his friends and colleagues. Officers discovered his body inside the flat. Police stated, "Officers and medics arrived on scene and located a deceased adult male from what appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation."The Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the manner of death as suicide, although the cause has not been disclosed.— elonmusk (@elonmusk) — AutismCapital (@AutismCapital) A Critic of AI PracticesBalaji had worked at OpenAI for over four years and was instrumental in developing ChatGPT. Initially, he believed that using online data, including copyrighted material, was permissible under the company’s approach. However, after the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, he grew increasingly concerned about the ethical and legal ramifications of relying on protected content.— suchirbalaji (@suchirbalaji) In August 2023, Balaji resigned from OpenAI and began speaking publicly about his concerns. He accused the company of illegally using copyrighted material to train its generative AI models. In an October interview with The New York Times, he expressed frustration with OpenAI's practices, saying, "If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company."Also Read: Who was Suchir Balaji? The former OpenAI researcher who called out AI's legal grey areasAllegations and Broader Legal BattlesBalaji’s whistleblowing came amidst a wave of lawsuits filed by writers, programmers, and journalists against OpenAI. These lawsuits allege that the company unlawfully used copyrighted content to develop ChatGPT, a system now used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.In his widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter) in October, Balaji said, “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m sceptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defence for a lot of generative AI products. I initially didn’t know much about copyright, fair use, etc., but became curious after seeing all the lawsuits filed against GenAI companies.”He further elaborated, “Fair use seems like a pretty implausible defence for a lot of generative AI products, for the basic reason that they can create substitutes that compete with the data they’re trained on.”Also Read: Former OpenAI researcher says the company broke copyright lawEthical Concerns with AI DevelopmentBalaji’s criticisms were not limited to OpenAI. He expressed concerns about the broader generative AI industry, stating that such technologies could harm the internet ecosystem by displacing original content. He said, “This is not a sustainable model for the internet ecosystem as a whole.”Balaji also urged machine learning researchers to better understand copyright laws and the implications of using protected material. In his blog, he questioned whether generative AI companies could rely on precedents like the Google Books case to justify their practices.The news of Balaji’s death prompted shock and speculation online. Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded with a cryptic "hmm," while others expressed condolences and revisited Balaji's warnings about generative AI. His death comes at a time when debates over AI ethics and accountability are intensifying, making his critiques even more significant.ChatGPT, launched in late 2022, became a global success but also triggered legal and ethical scrutiny. Many creators alleged their copyrighted works were used without permission to train the system. OpenAI, which grew its valuation to over $150 billion, has faced multiple lawsuits claiming copyright violations.Balaji’s resignation and public statements were among the first from a high-profile employee criticising an AI company’s practices. His concerns echo those of other industry leaders, including a former vice president of Stability AI, who have called for greater responsibility when using protected content.

Mumbai: Gukesh Dommaraju's historic victory over Chinese chess grandmaster Ding Liren at the World Chess Championship 2024 has significantly boosted his global profile, opening potential commercial opportunities for brand endorsements, particularly due to his appeal among India's estimated 50 million chess aficionados, including youth, according to sports marketing experts.As the youngest world chess champion, his triumph could ignite renewed interest in chess in India, creating opportunities for brand partnerships across sectors such as technology, education, finance, and innovation-driven industries.Once struggling to find sponsors, Gukesh now enjoys backing from major players like WestBridge Capital, which signed a five-year sponsorship deal, and RBL Bank, which made him a brand ambassador last month. Gukesh's achievement, making him only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to reach this milestone, marks a historic moment for Indian chess, significantly increasing the sport's visibility in the country, said Vinit Karnik, MD at GroupM India's content, entertainment, and sports division."His victory is likely to reignite interest in chess in India, creating opportunities for partnerships with sports, gaming platforms, and chess academies. This is in line with India's growing chess culture, already energised by players like Anand and Praggnanandhaa," he added.Karnik pointed out that brands in education (edtech), technology (AI-driven tools), lifestyle, and even luxury segments could capitalise on his image of strategy and discipline. "Given the rising popularity of chess in India, Gukesh's success could make him one of the most sought-after sports figures for endorsements," he added.Experts note that corporate interest in chess has been on the rise, citing sponsorship deals like Arjun Erigaisi's deal with Quantbox, Adani Group's sponsorship of Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, and Akshayakalpa's sponsorship of Nihal Sarin.India is also home to the world's first franchise-based chess league, the Global Chess League (GCL), a brainchild of Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra. GCL, a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and the International Chess Federation (FIDE). RBL Bank MD R Subramaniakumar stated that the bank appointed Gukesh as its brand ambassador because his strategic thinking and ability to make winning moves align perfectly with RBL's approach to banking."We will leverage our association with Gukesh through multiple communication channels in order to help showcase our brand to a wider audience. This will be done through the use of mainline, digital and on-ground media along with market specific activations," he added. According to a leading market research firm, Dataintelo, the global chess market, driven by factors such as the growth of online platforms, is expected to grow from $2.2 billion in 2023 to $3 billion by 2032.Peeyush Dubey, chairperson of the GCL, who is also the CMO of Tech Mahindra, views Gukesh's victory as the start of a new era for both him and the sport of chess. "This victory is similar to the transformational impact of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup win. Such results inspire the nation and attract new fans to the sport, making it appealing to investors and brands," he said.Dubey emphasised that chess is finally gaining widespread interest in India, with young fans engaging with the sport during major events like the GCL. He believes this surge in popularity will encourage brands to align their ethos with the intellectual appeal of chess. Manu Gurtu, co-founder of MGD1, a Pune-based chess-first eSports firm, noted that Indian chess has been attracting significant corporate and brand interest over the last five years even though the quantum of money is negligible compared to cricket. He believes Gukesh's victory will further increase investment in the sport."It's strange that it has taken so long for brands to take notice because, after cricket, chess is the only sport India truly excels in," Gurtu said.However, experts caution that chess' niche appeal, limited media coverage, and the marketers' preference for movie and cricket stars may pose challenges to fully capitalising on Gukesh's commercial potential.