GitHub, Microsoft & OpenAI fail to dodge Copilot copyright lawsuit
A recent order from U.S. District Judge John Tigar in Northern California has ensured that the case will proceed to trial.
Published on 18th May 2023
In a potential landmark case for the technology sector, GitHub, Microsoft, and OpenAI have been denied their attempt to dismiss a copyright lawsuit tied to the Copilot programming assistant.
The lawsuit pertains to the AI-powered coding tool called Copilot and its underlying model Codex. Tech giants Microsoft, OpenAI, and GitHub jointly developed the said tool. It utilizes machine learning to suggest code to developers as they type.
This feature has provoked serious legal ramifications. It’s trained on publicly available code, including many open-source projects, which leads to allegations that the software may infringe on developers’ copyright.
The Alleged Copyright Infringement
The plaintiffs allege that Copilot’s use of their open-source code constitutes copyright infringement. They argue that the tool’s usage goes beyond the licenses provided by the original coders.
In contrast, the defendants – GitHub, Microsoft, and OpenAI – have asserted that Copilot’s training on the publicly available code is a fair use of the material. The court’s decision, however, has challenged the claim.
Judge John Tigar has denied the motion to dismiss the case. However, he has allowed other claims to be better supported in a revised complaint. Tigar has stated that the case’s complexity calls for more detailed scrutiny.
While it apparently acts as a quick respite for GitHub, Microsoft, and OpenAI, it has left the most crucial of the case intact.
The court needs to explore in greater depth the creative process behind Copilot and its use of copyrighted code.
Software developers have claimed that Copilot and Codex have been sourced from their code. Not only that, the model sometimes reproduces them without any clear permission or concern from the developers. The judge has seemingly taken the plaintiff’s claim seriously.
He has further ordered to find out if Codex’s capacity to reproduce code truly represents any software licensing term breach. Furthermore, Tigar has dodged the giants’ trial to get over a claim under section 1202 (B). It’s the digital millennium copyright act that protects the author’s or owner’s rights.
However, Tigar dismissed the claims for violating section 1202 (A) of the digital millennium copyright act. The said act covers areas like fraud, unjust enrichment, breach of the privacy policy and terms of service, violation of the California consumer privacy act, negligence, interference, and unfair competition.
The Insider’s Take
Matthew Butterick, a lawyer, and techie associated with the case, has confirmed that the tech giants have failed to remove two primary allegations of the case.
They include the removal of copyright management information and license breaching. However, Matthew didn’t agree to provide more details on the inclusions in the revised complaint. He is seemingly optimistic about the case’s progress, though.
A GitHub spokesperson says that they believe AI will transform the way of building software. This will lead to better productivity and more efficient developers. He also says that GitHub strives to fulfill its commitment to responsible innovation, and Copilot is not an exception. Despite these challenges, the organization will keep on investing in AI discoveries.
The outcome of this case could potentially serve as a catalyst for a change in the legal landscape. It may set a significant precedent for future AI copyright cases.
