AI Copyright Showdown: Judge Sides Against "Fair Use" Defense

In a landmark case, Thomson Reuters has won its copyright battle against Ross Intelligence, marking the first U.S. court decision on AI and copyright infringement according to Reuters. The ruling could set the stage for future legal fights over AI’s use of copyrighted material.

Ross Intelligence, a tech company specializing in AI-driven legal research, copied content from Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw database to train its own AI system. But U.S. District Judge Stephanos Bibas wasn’t buying their “fair use” defense—a strategy many AI companies have relied on in similar lawsuits.

“None of Ross’s possible defenses hold water. I reject them all,” Judge Bibas wrote in his decision.

Thomson Reuters celebrated the ruling, stating, “Westlaw’s editorial content, created and maintained by our attorney editors, is protected by copyright and cannot be used without our consent.”

This decision could send shockwaves through the AI industry, where lawsuits over the use of copyrighted books, articles, and creative works are heating up. If this case is any indication, companies banking on “fair use” might need to rethink their legal game plan.