Artists are lawyering up against AI slop, and some are even winning - The Verge

What the report says

The Verge reports that a growing group of writers, illustrators, musicians and other creators are challenging artificial intelligence companies in court over the use of their work to build generative AI systems. The article centers on authors such as Kirk Wallace Johnson and Andrea Bartz, artists including Sarah Andersen, Karla Ortiz and Kelly McKernan, and musicians such as Sam Kogon, who say their books, images or songs were used without meaningful permission or compensation.

Several lawsuits described by The Verge rely mainly on copyright arguments, including cases against companies such as Anthropic, Meta, Stability AI, Midjourney, DeviantArt and Runway. Other claims take different legal routes. Kogon and other independent musicians are suing Google over its Lyria music AI system, arguing that YouTube data and Content ID were improperly used; Google has sought dismissal and has pointed to broad rights in YouTube’s terms of service. A Google spokesperson told The Verge the company uses YouTube uploads to improve experiences across YouTube and Google, including machine learning and AI applications.

The report highlights a core dispute: artists see generative AI training as an appropriation of labor and identity, while technology companies have generally argued they have legal grounds to use large datasets or platform content. The cases are moving at different speeds, with some claims narrowed or dismissed and others continuing.

The outcome matters because courts may help define how copyright, platform terms and fair use apply to AI systems. The Verge notes that independent and working artists fear the biggest harm may fall on creators who depend on ordinary commercial work, not only famous names.