AI Copyright Lawsuit Follows Landmark Ruling
By Justin Sorrell — PartnerNew AI Copyright Lawsuit Follows Landmark Bartz Fair Use Ruling
Last week, in two separate lawsuits, California federal judges decided that AI tech giants Anthropic and Meta did not violate certain authors’ copyrights when they used some of the authors’ books to train AI large language models (“LLM”).
Bartz et al v. Anthropic
On June 23, 2025, the landmark order in Bartz et al v. Anthropic was issued, which is the first U.S. decision addressing the legality of training generative AI using copyrighted works without creator permission. The Court decided Anthropic’s use of legitimately purchased copies of books to train an LLM was fair use under the Copyright Act, but use of pirated copies of books was a violation of the Copyright Act.
Kadrey v. Meta Platforms
On June 25, 2025, the order in Kadrey v. Meta Platforms was issued, with the judge seeming to express greater overall skepticism of AI technology, but still deciding Meta’s use of certain books to train an LLM was fair use under the Copyright Act.
Case filed in New York Federal District Court
Just two days after the landmark Bartz fair use order was issued, a new set of authors entered the fray. On June 25, 2025, certain authors sued Microsoft in New York federal court, alleging Microsoft’s use of pirated versions of their works to train its AI LLM violated their copyrights.
Both federal courts that have issued opinions on this issue thus far have sided with major AI tech companies, but they are in California. New York’s federal courts are generally not bound by decisions issued by California federal courts, which leaves open the possibility the New York federal court may issue an order inconsistent with those which have favored AI companies.
With the evolution of LLM AI models and their ease of use, there will be many more concerns about their use in the future. If you have questions about intellectual property law, including copyright, and artificial intelligence, the attorneys of Riley Bennett Egloff are available to assist you.
Justin Sorrell – Attorney at Law
Justin is a problem-solver who seeks creative solutions to his clients’ legal issues while understanding and advising his clients of the business impact of litigation and transaction choices to help guide his clients’ decision-making. Justin has served as outside corporate counsel, including handling bank loan transactions, real estate transactions, and commercial leases, and loan work-outs and bankruptcy matters.
When disputes arise and an amicable resolution is not possible, Justin is an experienced litigator who aggressively and diligently pursues his clients’ interests in many types of disputes in federal and state courts across Indiana. He often represents businesses and employers in lawsuits including wage and retaliation claims, trade secret and confidentiality claims, non-competition and non-solicitation covenants, breach of contract claims, collections, and appeals. Justin also defends health-care providers against licensing complaints, including against consumer complaints and administrative complaints brought by the Office of the Attorney General. He has helped numerous clients amicably resolve contentious disputes, saving them and their businesses significant time and money.
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Posted on July 1, 2025 by Justin O. Sorrell