Visualizing the Landscape of AI Copyright Lawsuits in the U.S.

In May 2020, Thomson Reuters initiated a lawsuit against Ross Intelligence, a small AI legal startup, claiming violations of US copyright law for using materials from its Westlaw legal research platform. At the time, the case received little attention beyond legal circles. However, this lawsuit has since emerged as a significant event in a burgeoning conflict between content publishers and AI firms, particularly in the wake of the generative AI boom.

As copyright battles intensify, numerous lawsuits have arisen, with plaintiffs ranging from notable authors like Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates to major media entities, including The New York Times, as well as prominent music companies like Universal Music Group. These rights holders accuse AI firms of exploiting their work to develop profitable AI models without permission, a situation they consider akin to theft. In response, AI companies often invoke the "fair use" doctrine, arguing that their activities qualify as legally permissible use of copyrighted content. Traditional examples of fair use include parody and educational uses.

WIRED has undertaken the task of tracking the progression of these lawsuits, providing visual representations to clarify the involved companies and rights holders, the nature of the cases, and the venues where they are being litigated.

The Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence case is still proceeding through the court system. Originally scheduled for trial earlier this year, it has now been postponed indefinitely. The legal costs have driven Ross out of business, yet the timeline for resolution remains uncertain. Other lawsuits, such as the high-profile case involving The New York Times and OpenAI, are currently navigating contentious discovery phases where both sides contend over evidence disclosure.

As the legal landscape continues to evolve, the outcomes of these lawsuits could reshape the information ecosystem and the AI industry, with implications for everyone utilizing the internet.

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