Gerry Adams Considers Legal Action Against Meta for Unauthorized Use of Books in AI Training

Meta Accused of Using Copyrighted Books for AI Training

Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has joined a growing list of authors accusing Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, of using copyrighted books without permission to train its artificial intelligence (AI) model, Llama. Adams claims that at least seven of his books were included in Meta's vast trawl of copyright material for AI development 1

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The Controversy Unfolds

An investigation by The Atlantic magazine revealed that Meta may have accessed millions of pirated books and research papers through Library Genesis (LibGen), a "shadow library" containing over 7.5 million books, to train its generative AI system 1

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. This revelation has sparked outrage among authors and publishers worldwide.

Gerry Adams' Response

Adams, 76, a prolific author who has written fiction, reminiscences, history, and political tracts, stated, "Meta has used many of my books without my permission. I have placed the issue in the hands of my solicitor" 2

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. The titles allegedly used include his autobiography "Before the Dawn," prison memoir "Cage Eleven," and reflections on Northern Ireland's peace process "Hope and History," among others 2

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Wider Impact and Industry Response

Adams is not alone in this fight. A group of authors, including Ta-Nehisi Coates, Jacqueline Woodson, and Sarah Silverman, filed a US court filing in January alleging Meta's unauthorized use of LibGen 2

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. The Society of Authors chair, Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin, described Meta's actions as "shocking and devastating for writers," emphasizing the potential threat to authors' livelihoods 2

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Meta's Response and Legal Implications

Meta has defended its actions, stating, "We respect third-party intellectual property rights and believe our use of information to train AI models is consistent with existing law" 1

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. However, this stance is being challenged by authors and legal experts. Novelist Richard Osman emphasized the simplicity of copyright law, stating, "If you want to use an author's work you need to ask for permission. If you use it without permission you're breaking the law" 2

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The Future of AI and Copyright

This controversy highlights the ongoing tension between rapid AI development and intellectual property rights. As AI models like Llama, which underpin tools such as chatbots, continue to evolve, the legal and ethical implications of using copyrighted material for training purposes remain a contentious issue. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for the AI industry and content creators alike.