A class action lawsuit has been filed against Google by a group of publishers and authors, alleging that the company used their copyrighted materials to train its AI platform, Gemini, without permission. This lawsuit follows recent court decisions in California that have generally favored AI companies regarding fair use, although the outcomes may not set a definitive precedent.
The plaintiffs argue that their long-standing relationship with Google, which includes providing copyrighted works for search purposes, does not extend to AI training. They claim that Google’s actions could lead to significant financial penalties, as indicated by an internal document suggesting potential fines in the billions.