Source: The Press Democrat

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, is set to face a deposition as part of a lawsuit filed by comedian Sarah Silverman and several other authors, accusing Meta of copyright infringement in training its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The lawsuit, filed in California federal court, claims that Meta illegally downloaded digital copies of the plaintiffs’ books without their consent and used them to train its AI platforms, including the development of large language models.

The authors, including Silverman, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, argue that Meta's AI models were trained on their copyrighted works without compensation or proper licensing. This has sparked a broader conversation about the ethical and legal implications of using copyrighted materials to train AI systems.

Meta attempted to block Zuckerberg’s deposition, arguing that he had no unique knowledge about the company's AI operations, but U.S. District Judge Thomas Hixson ruled against the motion. In his decision, the judge cited evidence of Zuckerberg's direct involvement in Meta’s AI initiatives, making him a key figure in the case.

David Boies, a high-profile attorney known for representing Al Gore in the 2000 U.S. presidential election, has joined the legal team representing the plaintiffs. The case against Meta is part of a larger wave of similar lawsuits targeting other AI developers, including OpenAI and Microsoft, as the tech industry grapples with the legal frameworks surrounding AI and copyright.

This lawsuit could set a precedent for how AI companies use copyrighted material in training their systems and may lead to stricter regulations or guidelines governing AI development. As AI becomes more integrated into various industries, these legal battles are expected to shape the future of intellectual property rights in the digital age.