The Guardian has blocked OpenAI from using its content to power artificial intelligence products such as ChatGPT. Concerns that OpenAI is using unlicensed content to create its AI tools have led to writers bringing lawsuits against the company and creative industries calling for safeguards to protect their intellectual property. The Guardian has confirmed that it has prevented OpenAI from deploying software that harvests its content. Generative AI technology – the term for products that generate convincing text, image and audio from simple human prompts – has dazzled the public since a breakthrough version of its ChatGPT chatbot launched last year. However, fears have arisen about the potential mass-production of disinformation and the way in which such tools are built.