Textbook Authors Sue OpenAI Over AI Training

A group of textbook authors filed a class action lawsuit in New York on August 14. They allege OpenAI, with support from Microsoft, illegally copied thousands of copyrighted textbooks to train its large language models (LLMs).

The complaint, led by plaintiff Michael Sullivan, argues this unauthorized use threatens to "dilute" or "erode"the market for educational materials. The authors seek a judgment for copyright infringement, monetary damages, and an injunction to block further infringement."conceal" its actions. It further alleges the company downloaded "massive" amounts of textbooks from notorious pirate sites, bypassing potential licensing markets. The plaintiffs contend textbooks are "uniquely valuable" for AI training because they cover academic fields in engaging and up-to-date ways.

"LLMs threaten the textbook market by destroying the incentives for textbook authors to continue writing and revising high quality textbooks,"the complaint states. It warns that sophisticated AI agents could displace human-authored textbooks with cheaper AI-generated substitutes."driven by adoptions" by instructors, schools, or educational systems. Students are then required to buy them. This dynamic creates a powerful cost-cutting incentive. "The purchaser has a powerful incentive to avoid the cost of purchasing a textbook if a 'free' version of that same book, or a 'good enough' substitute can be found via an LLM,"the complaint explains. The authors argue that if AI models continually ingest new textbook editions, schools may drop textbook adoptions altogether."selection, organization, and sequencing of the material" is protected, as is their "voice and pedagogical style."

The suit notes LLMs can be prompted to mimic specific textbook authors' styles. This, the plaintiffs argue, creates a high risk that AI will "substitute for, dilute, or erode" the marketplace for human-authored textbooks. The authors filed a similar suit against Meta in California in July.

According to the source 'ChatGPT is Eating the World', there are now 136 ongoing lawsuits against AI companies.