Meta accused of using pirated books for training AI with Mark Zuckerberg’s approval

Meta Platforms, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is facing allegations of using pirated books to train its artificial intelligence systems. In newly revealed court documents, a group of authors accused Meta of knowingly using copyrighted material. 

The authors claim that internal Meta documents, disclosed during the discovery phase, prove the company was aware the works were pirated. The lawsuit, filed in 2023, argues that Meta misused their books to train its large language model, Llama.  

In court filings made public on Wednesday, the authors said Meta used the AI training dataset LibGen, which allegedly contains millions of pirated works, reports Reuters. They further alleged that Meta distributed the dataset through peer-to-peer torrents.  

Also read: Meta developing its own search engine to reduce dependence on Google and Microsoft

The court papers allege that Zuckerberg approved the use of LibGen despite warnings from Meta’s AI executive team. These executives reportedly expressed concerns, calling LibGen “a dataset we know to be pirated.”  

The authors have asked the court for permission to file an updated complaint based on this new evidence. They believe the revelations strengthen their claims of copyright infringement and justify adding new allegations, including a computer fraud claim.  

Also read: Meta smart glasses used to scout and attack in US: Here is what they are capable of

This case is part of a larger wave of lawsuits accusing tech companies of using copyrighted works without permission to develop AI systems. Defendants in such cases often argue that their use of copyrighted material qualifies as “fair use.”  

The outcome of this case could have significant implications for how AI companies use copyrighted material in training their systems. For now, the spotlight remains on Meta and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.  

Also read: Using Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses? Here’s why you should worry about your privacy