Publishers Sue Google Over AI Training

Hachette, Cengage, Elsevier, and other publishers are suing Google over alleged AI training on copyrighted works.

Google is facing a lawsuit from major publishers, including Hachette, Cengage, and Elsevier, who allege the tech giant trained its AI models on their copyrighted works without permission. The lawsuit claims Google used these works for AI training, including those from Google Books and Google Play, without authorization. This action is part of a broader trend of lawsuits against AI companies regarding the use of copyrighted materials for training.

The plaintiffs also allege that Google intentionally removed or altered copyright information on these works to conceal that its Gemini Models were trained on "stolen materials." An internal Google document is cited, reportedly stating that using copyrighted books for AI training could be "highly problematic" and potentially lead to "$10Bs-$100Bs in potential fines." The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

This lawsuit adds to the ongoing legal challenges faced by AI companies concerning intellectual property. While some early court decisions in California have favored AI companies regarding "fair use," the current case in New York presents an opportunity for a different judicial perspective on the matter. The outcome could have significant implications for how AI models are trained and how intellectual property rights are protected in the digital age.

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