Meta Platforms Defends Use of Authors’ Works in AI Training in US Court

Meta Platforms is seeking a ruling from a U.S. federal court, asserting that its use of copyrighted books by authors such as Ta-Nehisi Coates and comedian Sarah Silverman to train its artificial intelligence system did not violate copyright law. According to Reuters, the tech giant argued that the use of these works falls under “fair use,” a legal doctrine that allows for limited use of copyrighted material without permission under certain conditions.

In a hearing on Monday in San Francisco, Meta’s legal team told a judge that the lawsuit filed by the authors should be dismissed. Meta contends that its AI system, Llama, which is designed to assist in a wide range of tasks including creative ideation, business report generation, and data analysis, qualifies as a transformative use of the books. The company further argued that its training process does not aim to replicate or replace the authors’ original works but instead helps Llama serve various practical functions, such as providing personalized tutoring and aiding in writing tasks.

The legal battle revolves around the authors’ claim that Meta used pirated versions of their books to train Llama without obtaining proper authorization. Meta’s response highlights that fair use is a fundamental component of its development of “transformational” generative AI models (GenAI), which the company argues foster innovation and creativity. “Fair use is vital to our transformational GenAI open-source LLMs that are powering incredible innovation, productivity, and creativity,” a Meta spokesperson said, as reported by Reuters.

Read more: EU Poised to Fine Meta Up to $1 Billion for Alleged Antitrust Violations: Report

The authors filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging that Meta engaged in systematic infringement by feeding entire copies of their books into its AI models, circumventing the need to compensate them for their works. They have requested that the court reject Meta’s defense, asserting that the company exploited their works for their “expressive content”—the very aspect protected under copyright law.

This case, Kadrey v. Meta Platforms Inc., currently being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, is a pivotal one, with potential ramifications for copyright disputes involving artificial intelligence.

Legal representation for the authors includes prominent attorneys David Boies, Joseph Saveri, and others, while Meta’s defense is backed by top lawyers including Bobby Ghajar, Kathleen Hartnett, and Kannon Shanmugam.

Source: Reuters