OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has asked the Trump administration to allow AI companies to use copyrighted material for training their models. The request was made as part of a broader proposal submitted to the U.S. government on Thursday for President Trump's upcoming "AI Action Plan.", according to NBCnews reporting.

The tech giant wants the federal government to adopt "freedom-focused" policies that would reduce what it calls "unnecessarily burdensome" regulations on artificial intelligence. OpenAI specifically mentioned that American AI developers should not have to "comply with overly burdensome state laws."

Copyright remains a contentious issue for AI developers who train their models on human-created work. Many companies do this without notifying original creators, getting their permission, or paying them. OpenAI itself faces lawsuits from several news organizations including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and New York Daily News over alleged copyright violations.

The company claims its approach would both protect content creators' rights and maintain America's position as a global leader in AI technology. However, OpenAI did not provide specific details about how it would protect creators' interests while also using their work without traditional licensing.

The proposal frames AI advancement as a national security concern, likening it to an arms race. "The federal government can both secure Americans' freedom to learn from AI, and avoid forfeiting our AI lead to the PRC by preserving American AI models' ability to learn from copyrighted material," OpenAI stated in its proposal.

This request aligns with the Trump administration's approach to AI regulation. Shortly after taking office, Trump revoked former President Biden's AI policies through an executive order, claiming they acted as "barriers to American AI innovation."

Biden's previous executive order on AI, issued in October 2023, had taken a more cautious approach, noting that "irresponsible use [of AI] could exacerbate societal harms," including threats to national security.

OpenAI's push for fewer restrictions comes amid global competition in emerging tech markets. In a parallel development, Elon Musk's SpaceX recently secured partnerships with India's largest telecom operators, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, to bring Starlink satellite internet to remote areas. The deals await government approval, which has been pending since 2022 due partly to national security concerns.