I am a mathematician who worked in publishing starting in 1974. I worked with Martin Gardner from 1974 until his death in 2010. While he and I were working on second editions of his Mathematical Games books Macmillan and Scientific American asserted claims to control this material, contrary to the arrangements set up by Gerard Piel and Dennis Flanagan when Martin wrote his columns and books. Despite substantial evidence from many directly involved, Doug Hofstadter, Ian Stewart, Jonathan Piel and others Macmillan and Holtzbrinck refused to acknowledge Martin’s rights and to pass on to him his share of the money they collected from sales they made of those rights without his knowledge. You may be sure this pattern will be followed by those selling rights to materials for training generative AI — only the damage will be different and far greater. I have lived it. Peter Renz
I am a mathematician who worked in publishing starting in 1974. I worked with Martin Gardner from 1974 until his death in 2010. While he and I were working on second editions of his Mathematical Games books Macmillan and Scientific American asserted claims to control this material, contrary to the arrangements set up by Gerard Piel and Dennis Flanagan when Martin wrote his columns and books. Despite substantial evidence from many directly involved, Doug Hofstadter, Ian Stewart, Jonathan Piel and others Macmillan and Holtzbrinck refused to acknowledge Martin’s rights and to pass on to him his share of the money they collected from sales they made of those rights without his knowledge. You may be sure this pattern will be followed by those selling rights to materials for training generative AI — only the damage will be different and far greater. I have lived it. Peter Renz
I wish your story were better known. Has it been reported?