Professors Stand Up for Authors in Legal Battle Against Meta

In a significant move that underscores the ongoing debate around copyrights and AI, a collective of distinguished copyright law professors recently filed an amicus brief backing authors in their legal tussle with Meta. The authors claim that Meta has unlawfully used their e-books to train its Llama AI models without obtaining the necessary permissions.

The brief, submitted on Friday to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, sets out to challenge Meta’s defense, which controversially cites fair use. The professors describe this defense as “a breathtaking request for greater legal privileges than courts have ever granted human authors.”

The Heart of the Matter: Fair Use and Transformative Use

The brief argues that training generative models with copyrighted works is not “transformative.” The reasoning is that this use isn’t fundamentally different from how human authors use these works for education—an original intent behind the authors’ creations. They further assert that Meta’s purpose in using these works is commercial, aimed at generating rival productions in the same marketplaces, which disclaims the notion of “transformative” use entirely.

Alongside the professors, several prominent organizations have lent their support to the authors. The International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers, the Copyright Alliance, and the Association of American Publishers joined in filing amicus briefs, amplifying the call for respect toward intellectual property rights in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence.

The Ongoing Legal Drama

As this legal drama unfolds, it’s important to note that Meta isn’t going down without a fight. Just hours after the amicus briefs were filed, a company spokesperson pointed TechCrunch to similar documents submitted by a different group of law professors and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which advocate Meta’s position.

The case, known as Kadrey v. Meta, has seen notable authors like Richard Kadrey, Sarah Silverman, and Ta-Nehisi Coates taking center stage, alleging that Meta violated their intellectual property by using their e-books for AI training and even stripping them of copyright information to cover up the infringement. In contrast, Meta argues that this use qualifies as fair use and maintains that the authors should not have standing to sue.

Earlier this month, Judge Vince Chhabria of the U.S. District Court allowed the case to proceed, dismissing only part of it. He acknowledged that the authors definitely faced concrete injuries that warranted their standing, especially regarding the accusation that Meta intentionally removed copyright management information (CMI) to obscure its actions.

The Bigger Picture in AI Copyright Lawsuits

This isn’t an isolated incident; the legal landscape is buzzing with several other high-profile copyright lawsuits involving AI technology, like The New York Times suing OpenAI. It’s a pivotal time for understanding the intersection of creative rights and technological advancement in AI.

The engagement from legal scholars and industry groups paints a clear picture of a community concerned about the implications of AI on creators. As AI continues to evolve and permeate various aspects of life and work, the discussions surrounding copyright will undoubtedly grow more critical.

In conclusion, as the world of AI progresses, the legalities surrounding ownership, usage, and fairness continue to challenge our understanding of creativity and innovation. The AI Buzz Hub team is excited to see where these breakthroughs take us. Want to stay in the loop on all things AI? Subscribe to our newsletter or share this article with your fellow enthusiasts.