Meta faces new lawsuit for using copyrighted books to train AI

Meta faces accusations of deliberately using pirated books to train its AI systems, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly approving the use of unauthorized content despite internal concerns.

Key allegations: The lawsuit, filed by prominent authors including Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman, claims Meta knowingly used pirated books from the LibGen dataset to train its Llama language model.

• Internal Meta communications revealed that executives were aware LibGen contained pirated content
• The dataset was allegedly distributed through peer-to-peer torrents
• Documents produced during discovery suggest Zuckerberg approved the use of LibGen despite concerns from Meta’s AI executive team

Legal context: This case represents one of several ongoing legal battles over AI companies’ use of copyrighted material for training purposes.

• The authors initially sued Meta in 2023 over unauthorized use of their works
• U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria previously dismissed claims about chatbot-generated text and copyright management information
• The authors are now seeking permission to file an updated complaint with new evidence
• Similar lawsuits are pending against other AI companies regarding unauthorized use of copyrighted works

Meta’s position: The tech giant has yet to respond to these specific allegations.

• Meta and other AI companies have generally argued that their use of copyrighted material falls under “fair use” doctrine
• The company has not immediately responded to requests for comment on these new allegations

Legal developments: Recent court proceedings suggest a complex path forward for the case.

• Authors are attempting to revive previously dismissed claims based on new evidence
• They’re also seeking to add a new computer fraud claim
• Judge Chhabria has indicated he will allow an amended complaint
• However, the judge expressed skepticism about some of the proposed claims

Looking ahead: This case could set important precedents for AI training practices and intellectual property rights in the digital age, potentially forcing tech companies to reconsider how they source training data for their AI models. The outcome may also influence how other courts handle similar cases involving AI training and copyright infringement.