In a significant development for the ongoing legal battles surrounding AI and copyright law, a federal judge has ruled that a class action lawsuit filed by a group of artists against Stability AI, Runway, and DeviantArt can move forward—though only in part. The lawsuit alleges that these companies illegally trained their AI models on copyrighted works without permission from the artists.
The presiding judge delivered a mixed ruling on Monday, dismissing several of the plaintiffs’ claims but allowing others to proceed. This decision paves the way for the case to potentially go to trial, a scenario that could spell trouble for the AI companies involved. Even if they ultimately prevail, the process will likely be lengthy and expensive, with the potential to expose sensitive information and internal practices to public scrutiny.
This lawsuit is just one of several high-profile cases currently challenging the ways in which AI companies source and use data, particularly copyrighted content. The outcome of these legal battles could have far-reaching implications for the industry, as more creators and rights holders push back against what they see as unauthorized exploitation of their work.
