In a major development for the ongoing AI copyright battle, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will be questioned by a group of U.S. authors who accuse the company of illegally using their books to train its AI systems. This decision, handed down by U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson, comes as evidence suggests Zuckerberg’s direct involvement in AI-training decisions within Meta.
The lawsuit, filed last year by several authors including comedian Sarah Silverman, targets Meta’s alleged copyright infringement through the use of their written works to enhance AI language models. A parallel case is ongoing against OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, for similar copyright claims.
Adding to the legal weight behind the case, high-profile litigator David Boies has joined the authors’ legal team. Boies, alongside attorneys from his firm, Boies Schiller Flexner, has stepped in following U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria’s expressed concerns about the previous handling of the case.
Meta sought to block Zuckerberg’s deposition, claiming there was no concrete evidence connecting him to the disputed AI practices. However, Judge Hixson disagreed, highlighting the CEO’s central role in setting policies for Meta’s Generative AI branch and the development of the contested language models.
Meta, like other tech giants, argues that its AI training practices fall under the fair use doctrine, defending against what they see as a threat to the growth of the AI industry. Meanwhile, lawsuits from various creative industries—including writers, artists, and music publishers—are piling up, challenging the unlicensed use of their work in AI development.
The lawsuit, Kadrey v. Meta Platforms Inc., is unfolding in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. As both sides prepare for a potentially precedent-setting trial, the involvement of Zuckerberg could shift the stakes even higher in this escalating battle over AI and copyright law.
