Category: Judge Stein

Sam Altman raises privacy concerns over Judge’s order that all ChatGPT user chat logs must be preserved. Calls for “AI privilege” to protect people’s chats.

After filing an objection with Judge Stein, OpenAI took to the court of public opinion to seek the reversal of Magistrate Judge Wang’s broad order requiring OpenAI to preserve all ChatGPT logs of people’s chats. Altman tweeted about OpenAI’s blog post, which invokes privacy as a core basis for their objection to Judge Wang’s Order.…
Read more: Sam Altman raises privacy concerns over Judge’s order that all ChatGPT user chat logs must be preserved. Calls for “AI privilege” to protect people’s chats.
Judge Stein appoints Justin A. Nelson of Susman Godfey as Interim Lead Class Counsel in MDL suits v. OpenAI

Judge Stein is moving the MDL litigation against OpenAI and Microsoft forward. Upon the motion of the Authors Guild, the Judge just appointed Justin A. Nelson, a partner at Susman Godfrey, as the interim lead class counsel for plaintiffs. Judge Stein rejected the proposed bifurcation of suits submitted by Nelson and Rachel Geman, seeking the…
Read more: Judge Stein appoints Justin A. Nelson of Susman Godfey as Interim Lead Class Counsel in MDL suits v. OpenAI
Judge Stein opinion rejecting OpenAI’s request for discovery of New York Times’ use of AI and revenues. Is it reversible error?

In a 12-page opinion, Judge Sidney Stein agreed with Magistrate Judge Ona Wang’s denial of OpenAI’s motion to compel (1) the New York Times to produce information about the Times’s own use of AI tools, as well as its alleged decreases in revenues and Times’ licensing efforts; and (2) the Authors Guild book plaintiffs to…
Read more: Judge Stein opinion rejecting OpenAI’s request for discovery of New York Times’ use of AI and revenues. Is it reversible error?
Judge Stein issues case management order for MDL suits v. OpenAI

What a busy day it was. The first conference for the 13 lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft convened. Judge Stein appointed the leadership counsel for the newspaper cases, but asked the class plaintiffs (for the book authors’ suits) to select a single interim class counsel, contrary to their proposal for a committee approach. Wow, that…
Read more: Judge Stein issues case management order for MDL suits v. OpenAI
Unpacking the MDL cases v. OpenAI, Microsoft

Here are the Exhibits to the filing for the OpenAI MDL Litigation. They provide helpful charts summarizing the parties involved. Today, Judge Sidney Stein holds the Initial Case Management conference. How many lawyers do you think they can fit into the courtroom? We shall see. I’m pretty certain a human created these informative charts, not…
Read more: Unpacking the MDL cases v. OpenAI, Microsoft
MDL case: OpenAI wants Plaintiffs to pick a lead attorney. Plaintiffs want leadership by committee of lawyers from each case.

In a 78 page document, the parties in the In re OpenAI Copyright Infringement Litigation, a collection of 13 lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement (2 of which are stayed, Basbanes and Millette). Probably the biggest dispute is over the appointment of the the plaintiffs’ Leadership Counsel, the first question in Judge Stein’s…
Read more: MDL case: OpenAI wants Plaintiffs to pick a lead attorney. Plaintiffs want leadership by committee of lawyers from each case.
Latest map of all 41 lawsuits v. AI companies (May 17, 2025)

Here’s the latest map of all 41 copyright lawsuits against AI companies in the United States. Since our last map on April 28, here are the changes:
Read more: Latest map of all 41 lawsuits v. AI companies (May 17, 2025)
Judge Stein allows New York Times parties to file letter re: its motion to compel OpenAI discovery regarding its destruction of output logs

Judge Stein allowed the newspaper plaintiffs to file a supplemental letter regarding their motion to compel discovery from OpenAI regarding its destruction of output logs.
Read more: Judge Stein allows New York Times parties to file letter re: its motion to compel OpenAI discovery regarding its destruction of output logs
Magistrate Judge Wang sets in-Person Discovery Status Conference for all actions v. OpenAI, Microsoft for May 27

The MDL Litigation against OpenAI and Microsoft is marching forward. Magistrate Wang set an In-Person Discovery Status Conference for May 27, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 20D, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY. The parties are instructed:
Read more: Magistrate Judge Wang sets in-Person Discovery Status Conference for all actions v. OpenAI, Microsoft for May 27
Judge Stein denies OpenAI’s request to reschedule May 22 status conference due to Robert Van Nest’s out of the country. But Judge allows Microsoft teams appearance.

Judge Sidney Stein just denied OpenAI’s request to postpone the May 22 status conference for the MDL litigation against OpenAI and Microsoft. OpenAI made the request because its lead trial counsel Robert A. Van Nest will be out of the country. The Plaintiffs opposed the motion. Judge Stein denied the motion but is allowing Mr.…
Read more: Judge Stein denies OpenAI’s request to reschedule May 22 status conference due to Robert Van Nest’s out of the country. But Judge allows Microsoft teams appearance.