OpenAI Faces Legal Setback in Copyright Battle Over Book Downloads
A federal judge has ruled against OpenAI in a copyright infringement case, allowing authors to pursue claims that the company unlawfully downloaded their books. U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein denied OpenAI's motion to strike the so-called "download claim," asserting that prior complaints sufficiently outlined allegations of infringement.
The case is part of a broader multidistrict litigation consolidating multiple copyright lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft in New York's Southern District. Authors David Baldacci and Michael Chabon are among those alleging unauthorized use of their works.
Judge Stein emphasized that factual allegations take precedence over precise legal theories, though he did strike references to future OpenAI models like GPT-5, limiting the scope to existing iterations from GPT-3 to GPT-4o Mini.
