Judge said Meta illegally used books to build its AI

a year ago

Meta is in a copyright battle with authors including Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates over whether its AI tools produce works that could harm book sales.
The authors accuse Meta of illegally using their books from 'shadow libraries' like LibGen to train its AI, while Meta claims 'fair use' protects its actions.
Judge Vince Chhabria focused on whether Meta's AI tools could financially harm authors by reducing their book sales, questioning if this would invalidate 'fair use.'
The case could set a precedent for how courts handle generative AI copyright issues, with implications for ongoing lawsuits against AI companies.
Meta's lawyer argued that claims of financial harm are speculative, while the authors' legal team stressed Meta must prove its use of copyrighted works is legal under 'fair use.'
Judge Chhabria expressed skepticism about whether the authors could prove Meta's AI tools would significantly impact their commercial success.
The ruling in this case could influence the broader legal landscape for generative AI, affecting tech companies like Meta and their AI strategies.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted AI's importance to the company's future, emphasizing its reliance on AI models and infrastructure.

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