Apple Faces Copyright Lawsuit Over Pirated Books In AI Training: Reuters Reported

Apple is facing a new lawsuit in California federal court after two neuroscientists claimed that the tech giant used thousands of copyrighted books without permission to train its Apple Intelligence AI system. Professors Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik, from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, filed a proposed class action, saying Apple relied on illegal “shadow libraries” of pirated books, reported Reuters. 

This comes after other authors have also sued Apple for misusing their works in AI training. The professors are seeking damages and a stop to this practice.

Apple AI Lawsuit: Copyrighted Books At The Centre

The lawsuit claims that Apple collected pirated books and other copyrighted material from the internet to train Apple Intelligence, its AI-powered system in iPhones and iPads. 

Reuters said, among the books allegedly misused are Martinez-Conde and Macknik’s Champions of Illusion and Sleights of Mind. 

The complaint says that Apple’s AI features grew after the launch, increasing the company’s value by over $200 billion in one day. 

Apple and the plaintiffs have not yet commented publicly, and the exact damages requested are not disclosed.

This case is part of a wider trend where tech companies face legal action over AI training. Authors, music labels, and news outlets have filed multiple lawsuits against companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms. 

In August, Anthropic settled a similar case for $1.5 billion over its AI chatbot Claude, highlighting the growing legal risks in AI development.

Impact Of Copyright Lawsuits On AI Companies

The case raises questions about how AI models are trained and whether tech companies are respecting copyright laws. 

If the courts rule in favour of the plaintiffs, Apple could be forced to stop using copyrighted material in AI training and pay significant damages. 

Experts say this lawsuit could influence how other companies approach AI development and copyright compliance in the future. 

For now, Apple Intelligence continues to be integrated into iOS devices, and the legal process will take time to unfold.

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