US government sides with OpenAI on issue of training LLMs on copyrighted material
In a lawsuit that The New York Times filed against OpenAI, the Trump administration has contributed a 20-page brief in defense of the ChatGPT maker’s unlicensed use of copyrighted material to train its LLMs. “The United States has a strong interest in continuing to develop a robust and competitive artificial intelligence industry that sets the…
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Summary
The U.S. government, through a Trump administration brief, supports OpenAI's use of copyrighted material for training LLMs like ChatGPT. The brief argues that restricting this practice would hinder AI development and American competitiveness, referencing a previous executive order on AI leadership. This intervention occurs amidst lawsuits, like the one filed by The New York Times, questioning the legality of using copyrighted works without permission for AI training, often debated under fair use principles.
Why it matters
Why it matters: This government brief signals a potential policy leaning towards AI companies in copyright disputes, impacting publishers and authors. It contrasts with earlier, more cautious legal interpretations. While not a ruling, it could influence future judicial decisions. Competitors like Anthropic and Google Gemini also face similar training data challenges. Future developments will focus on how courts interpret "fair use" in the context of AI training and whether legislative action follows.
Related: Google: Claude's new system prompt really doesn't want to reproduce song lyrics · Anthropic: “Zlibrary my beloved”: Anthropic staff chats extolling piracy cited in Sony suit · Microsoft: Content exclusions generally available in Copilot app and CLI · Meta: Trump Administration Sides With OpenAI in New York Times Copyright Lawsuit · xAI: Child sexual abuse survivor alleges Elon Musk’s AI chatbot used photos of her to generate new illegal images
Rated middle: a real update, not a headline event.
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Questions people ask
- What is the U.S. government's stance on AI training data?
- The Trump administration filed a brief supporting OpenAI, arguing that using copyrighted material to train LLMs is critical for U.S. AI leadership and competitiveness.
- What is the legal argument regarding AI training and copyright?
- The debate centers on "fair use," questioning if AI companies' use of copyrighted works is "transformative" enough to be legal without explicit permission.
- Have courts ruled on AI training and copyright before?
- Previous cases have largely favored AI companies. One judge ordered Anthropic to pay a settlement, but not for the training itself, rather for using illegal shadow libraries.
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Page generated Sep 3, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the story belongs to TechCrunch AI.