In a significant move, Penguin Random House (PRH), the largest among the Big Five publishing houses, is taking a stand against the unauthorized use of its literary works for AI training.
PRH has announced a revised copyright statement aimed at curbing AI exploitation. The updated guidelines explicitly declare that “no part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.” This statement will be incorporated into all new titles and reprints across PRH’s imprints.
With this shift in copyright policy, PRH becomes the first major publisher to publicly address the issue of AI training using its content. The other major trade publishers—Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster—have yet to respond to inquiries regarding their positions on this growing concern.
PRH’s initiative reflects a broader trend among publishers responding to unauthorized AI scraping of their materials. In recent months, several high-profile copyright actions have taken place, including a lawsuit filed by a prominent news outlet against major tech companies for copyright infringement. As companies increasingly allow diverse data sources to fuel AI training, the pushback from publishers comes as a natural response to protect their intellectual property.
Topics
Artificial Intelligence
Books
