Landmark Decision: Court Rules AI Training Data Not Fair Use

A federal court has issued the first decision on fair use in an AI-related copyright infringement case, setting a critical precedent. On February 11, 2025, the U.S. District Court in Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence ruled that Ross’s use of Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw headnotes to train its AI-based legal search engine was not fair use. The court found that Ross’s actions were commercial and non-transformative, impacting both the legal research market and the emerging market for AI training data.

🔗 Read the full court decision here: Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence

This ruling is a key development for photographers, artists, and content creators concerned about the unauthorized use of their copyrighted works for AI training. Courts are beginning to define how fair use applies to AI models, and this case signals that using copyrighted material without permission for AI training may not be protected as fair use.

As legal battles over AI-generated content continue, ImageRights remains committed to helping creators protect their work and ensuring they receive proper credit and compensation in this evolving landscape.