We’ve compiled a running list of the lawsuits filed against AI companies, including OpenAI and ChatGPT. On Sept. 13, 2023, we added 3 new lawsuits highlighted in yellow below.
Copyright lawsuits in US = 10 proposed class actions
Authors Guild v. Open AI, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1:23-cv-8292 (filed Sept. 19, 2023) (proposed class action) [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT] *NEW
- Authors of books and writings allege their works were used without permission to train and retained in OpenAI’s AI and in derivative works in ChatGPT’s responses
- Authors include David Baldacci, Mary Bly, Michael Connelly, Sylvia Day, Jonathen Franzen, John Grisham, Elin Hilderbrand, Christina Baker Kline, Maya Shanbhag Lang, Victor Lavalle, George R.R. Martin, Jodi Picoult, Douglas Preston, Roxana Robinson, George Sanders, Scott Turow, Rachael Vail.
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Rachel Geman, Reilly T. Stoler, Ian R. Bensberg, Lieff Cabraser Heimmann & Bernstein, LLP; Scott J. Sholder, CeCe M. Cole, Cowan Debaets Abraham & Sheppard LLP
- Case assigned to Judge Sidney H. Stein
Chabon v. Meta Platforms, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 3:23-cv-04663 (filed Sept. 12, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of books and writings allege their works were used without permission to train and retained in OpenAI’s AI and in derivative works in ChatGPT’s responses
- Authors include Michael Chabon, David Henry Hwang, Matthew Klam, Rachel Louise Snyder, and Ayelet Waldman
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Daniel J. Muller, Ventura, Hersey & Muller LLP
- Case assigned to Chief Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu
Chabon v. OpenAI Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 3:23-cv-04625-PHK (filed Sept. 9, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of books and writings allege their works were used without permission to train and retained in OpenAI’s AI and in derivative works in ChatGPT’s responses
- Authors include Michael Chabon, David Henry Hwang, Matthew Klam, Rachel Louise Snyder, and Ayelet Waldman
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Daniel J. Muller, Ventura, Hersey & Muller LLP
- Case assigned to Magistrate Judge Peter H. Kang
J.L. v. Alphabet Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 3:23-cv-03440-LB (filed Jul. 11, 2023) [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT] (proposed class action).*also involves privacy claims]
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Ryan J. Clarkson, Yana Hart, Tiara Avaness, Valter Malkhasyan, Tracey Cowan, Timothy K. Giordano of Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.
- Case assigned to Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin
Richard Kadrey v. Meta Platforms, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:23-cv-03417 (filed July 7, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of books allege their books were used without permission in “the Books3 section of ThePile” database, drawn from the shadow library Bibliotik, to train Meta’s AI program, LLaMA.
- Authors include Richard Kadrey, Sarah Silverman, and Christopher Golden
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Joseph R. Saveri, Cadio Zirpoli, Christopher K.L Young, Kathleen J. McMahon of Joseph Saveri Law Firm; and Matthew Butterick.
- Case assigned to Judge Vince Chhabria
Sarah Silverman v. OpenAI, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:23-cv-03223 (filed July 7, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of books allege their books were used to train OpenAI’s GPT without permission based on illegal digital copies of the books from shadow libraries; and that GPT-4 produces detailed summaries of their books upon queries.
- Authors include Sarah Silverman, Richard Kadrey, and Christopher Golden
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Joseph R. Saveri, Cadio Zirpoli, Christopher K.L Young, Kathleen J. McMahon of Joseph Saveri Law Firm; and Matthew Butterick.
- Case assigned to Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin
Paul Tremblay v. OpenAI, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:23-cv-03223 (filed June 28, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of books allege their books were used to train OpenAI’s GPT without permission based on illegal digital copies of the books from shadow libraries; and that GPT-4 produces detailed summaries of their books upon queries.
- Authors include Paul Tremblay and Mona Awad
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Joseph R. Saveri, Cadio Zirpoli, Christopher K.L Young, Kathleen J. McMahon of Joseph Saveri Law Firm; and Matthew Butterick.
- Case assigned to Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin
Getty Images (US), Inc. v. Stability AI Ltd, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, No. 1:23-cv-00135-UNA (filed 2/03/23) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of photographs
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Tammy L. Mercer, Robert M. Vrana of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, and Benjamin E. Marks, Jared R. Friedmann, Melissa Rutman of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
- Case Assigned to Judge Gregory B. Williams
Sarah Andersen v. Stability AI Ltd, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 3:23-cv-00201 (filed 1/13/23) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of visual art
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Joseph R. Saveri, Cadio Zirpoli, Christopher K.L Young, Elissa A. Buchanan, Travis Manfredi of Joseph Saveri Law Firm; Matthew Butterick.
- Case assigned to Judge William H. Orrick
Doe 1 v. Github, Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No 4:2022cv06823 (filed 11/03/22) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Authors of computer programs
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Joseph R. Saveri, Cadio Zirpoli, Travis Manfredi of Joseph Saveri Law Firm; Matthew Butterick.
- Case assigned to Judge Jon Steven Tigar
Privacy lawsuits in US = 2 proposed class actions
A.T. v. OpenAI LP, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 3:23-cv-04557 (filed Sept. 5, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Michael F. Ram, John A. Yanchunis, Ryan J. McGee, Morgan & Morgan Complex Litigation Group
- Case assigned to Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero
J.L. v. Alphabet Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 3:23-cv-03440-LB (filed Jul. 11, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT] [*also involves copyright claims as noted above]
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Ryan J. Clarkson, Yana Hart, Tiara Avaness, Valter Malkhasyan, Tracey Cowan, Timothy K. Giordano of Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.
- Case assigned to Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin
P.M. v. OpenAI LP, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, 3:23-cv-03199-JCS (filed Jun. 28, 2023) (proposed class action). [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT] VOLUNTARILY DISMISSED BY PLAINTIFFS ON Sept. 15, 2023
- Plaintiffs’ attorneys: Ryan J. Clarkson, Yana Hart, Tiara Avaness, Valter Malkhasyan, Tracey Cowan, Timothy K. Giordano of Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.
- Case assigned to Judge Trina L. Thompson
Defamation lawsuits in US
Mark Walters v. OpenAI, LLC, in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, State of Georgia (filed June 5, 2023) [DOCKET] [COMPLAINT]
- Syndicated radio talk show host alleges ChatGPT generated false and defamatory information about him in response to a query by a ChatGPT user.
- Plaintiff’s attorney: John R. Monroe of John Monroe Law, P.C.
Copyright lawsuits in UK
Getty Images (US), Inc. v. Stability AI Ltd., in the High Court of Justice in London (Chancery Division), (filed 1/16/23), No. IL-2023-000007.