Authors sue Apple over alleged use of pirated books to train AI
Two authors, Grady Hendrix and Jennifer Roberson, have filed a lawsuit against Apple alleging the company used pirated copies of copyrighted books from so-called “shadow libraries” to train its AI systems (Apple Intelligence) via its web crawler, Applebot. The plaintiffs claim Apple used their works without consent or payment and are seeking class-action status.
Key claims
- Plaintiffs: Grady Hendrix and Jennifer Roberson
- Allegation: Applebot accessed unlicensed/pirated book collections (“shadow libraries”) and used those works to train AI models without permission
- Relief sought: Class-action status, damages, and an injunction to stop unauthorized use
- Claimed harm: Loss of control over works, economic harm to authors, and unfair commercial gain by Apple
Context
This case joins a wave of lawsuits targeting AI companies for alleged use of copyrighted material in training. Notably, Anthropic recently agreed to a reported $1.5 billion settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by authors, with payouts reported around $3,000 per work. Other major AI companies, including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Meta, have also faced similar legal challenges.
Sources and further reading
- Benzinga — Apple faces class-action lawsuit over reported use of copyrighted books to train AI
- The Decoder — Authors sue Apple over alleged use of pirated books for AI training
- Times of India — Apple sued by authors over alleged use of copyrighted books to train AI
If you’d like, we can add direct excerpts from the complaint, a timeline of related lawsuits, or links to court filings. Thoughts? Leave a comment below.