Working Group on Scholarly Content and Generative AI

Dear colleagues,

We write today to announce the launch of a Working Group on Scholarly Content and Generative AI that will advise the Institute on  best practices for community members and units using scholarly content to train generative AI (GenAI) models. The group seeks to provide the MIT community with a common understanding of the issues at stake; the current legal and technical landscape; and an initial set of resources, guidance, and principles. Chris Bourg, director of the MIT Libraries, and Claire Schneider, counsel in the Office of the General Counsel, will co-chair the group.

We know that within our community, there are many different perspectives on the use of scholarly content in GenAI models. Some MIT scholars may wish to use content to train GenAI tools as part of their research. Others may be focused on how their own content is being used by third-party tool developers. Among that group, some are generally supportive of using their scholarly content so the models are trained on trustworthy, accurate information. Some, however, have ethical concerns about the use of scholarly content for training.

Additionally, some of MIT’s publishing entities – such as the MIT Press and Technology Review – are concerned about the unauthorized and uncompensated use of their published content to train commercial AI tools, as well as the impact of GenAI on the future viability of science journalism and scholarly publishing. Meanwhile, stewards of MIT content that is openly available, such as the MIT Libraries and Open Learning, are looking for guidance on how and when to facilitate the use of their open content in GenAI models.  

As the GenAI industry and the legal landscape evolve, the working group will develop flexible guidance for the MIT community to address these complex issues. The working group is charged with producing:

• A list of resources and administrative offices that can assist with questions.
• An initial white paper describing the issues; competing perspectives and priorities; and the current legal and technical landscape.
• A set of recommendations to guide MIT policy and practices related to the use of scholarly content for GenAI.

The full membership of the working group is listed below our signatures. If you have thoughts you would like to share about their work, please email aicontent-workinggroup@mit.edu.

We are grateful to Chris and Claire for their leadership and to the working group members for their service. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of their efforts.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Barnhart
Provost

Ian A. Waitz
Vice President for Research

Working group members

Chris Bourg, Director of Libraries (co-chair)

Claire Schneider, Counsel, Office of the General Counsel (co-chair)

Amy Brand, Director and Publisher, MIT Press

Christopher Capozzola, Elting E. Morison Professor of History and Senior Associate Dean for Open Learning

Catherine D'Ignazio, Associate Professor of Urban Science and Planning -

Dylan Hadfield-Menell, Bonnie and Marty (1964) Tenenbaum Career Development Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Graham Jones, Associate Professor of Anthropology

Yoon Kim, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Ruth Lehmann, Professor of Biology and Director of the Whitehead Institute

Meghan McCollum Fenno, Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, and Executive Director, Office of Strategic Alliances and Technology

Susan S. Silbey, Leon and Anne Goldberg Professor of Humanities, Sociology and Anthropology, and Professor of Behavioral and Policy Sciences

Eric So, Sloan Distinguished Professor of Global Economics and Management

Lily L. Tsai, Ford Professor of Political Science

Katie Zimmerman, Director of Copyright Strategy, MIT Libraries