Google has filed a motion to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of violating the privacy and property rights of millions of internet users by scraping data for training its AI models. Google contends that using publicly available information shared on the internet is not tantamount to "stealing" and argues that the claims are based on false premises. The lawsuit, filed by eight individuals, alleges privacy and property rights violations following a Google privacy policy change. Google asserts that the complaint fails to address core issues and warns of potential consequences for generative AI.


Google is actively seeking the dismissal of a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the violation of privacy and property rights for millions of internet users. The lawsuit, filed in July by eight individuals representing a potentially vast class, accuses Google of infringing on privacy and property rights by scraping data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models, including the Bard chatbots.


In its motion filed on October 17 in a California District Court, Google vehemently argued against the claims, asserting that utilizing publicly available information shared on the internet is not tantamount to "stealing." The tech giant contends that the lawsuit is built on false premises and clarified its position in the motion:


“Using publicly available information to learn is not stealing. Nor is it an invasion of privacy, conversion, negligence, unfair competition, or copyright infringement.”


Google's defense revolves around the necessity of using public data to train AI models effectively. It emphasized that dismissing the claims is crucial to avoid potential repercussions that could extend beyond its services, asserting that such a lawsuit would "take a sledgehammer not just to Google’s services but to the very idea of generative AI."


The lawsuit was prompted by a Google privacy policy change that occurred a week before the suit was filed, allowing data scraping for AI training purposes. The eight plaintiffs claim to represent millions of class members, including internet users and copyright holders, arguing that their privacy and property rights have been violated.


Google, in its motion, criticized the complaint for focusing on "irrelevant conduct by third parties and doomsday predictions about AI." It contends that the core issues, particularly how the plaintiffs have been harmed by the use of their information, are not adequately addressed.


This legal battle is part of a broader trend where tech giants face lawsuits related to the development and training of AI systems. Google's move to dismiss the case echoes similar disputes in the tech industry, as companies navigate the complex landscape of privacy, data usage, and AI advancements.


In a related development, Meta faced accusations of copyright infringement during the training of its AI, a controversy that underscores the ongoing legal challenges confronting major technology companies in the AI domain.

(SAVANNAH FORTIS, COINTELEGRAPH, 2023)