STM Backs Authors in OpenAI Copyright Case

The International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers joined an amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in consolidated copyright litigation against OpenAI.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a tall stack of blank hardbound books beside a small brass balance scale on a cream plinth, in deep red and cream. — Publishers including STM, AAP, IBPA, and CCC filed an amicus brief backing authors in consolidated copyright suits accusing OpenAI of training AI models on works without authorization. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

STM filed an amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in In re: OpenAI copyright litigation before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The brief was filed jointly with AAP, IBPA, and CCC and argues that established copyright principles apply when copyrighted materials train generative AI models.

Why it matters

The litigation alleges copyrighted works were used without authorization to train OpenAI's AI models, a question that bears directly on how publishers and authors are compensated as AI tools expand. The court's decision is expected to be the first opinion by a New York court addressing copyright issues related to AI training.

The brief is a legal filing rather than a technical benchmark, and no model parameters or training-data volumes were disclosed in the extraction. The case turns on whether training generative AI models on copyrighted works falls within fair use, a question still unresolved before the court.

The players

International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers (STM)

STM is a global trade association representing scientific, technical and medical publishers, and it joined the amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs.

OpenAI

OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research company and the developer of generative AI models that is the defendant in the consolidated copyright litigation.

The details

STM, AAP, IBPA, and CCC jointly filed the brief in support of the authors, publishers, and news publishers in the consolidated lawsuits. The litigation also includes claims against Microsoft concerning its involvement with OpenAI, and the brief maintains that fair use should adapt to technological developments without undermining copyright owners' rights.

- November 2, 2026: STM announced it had joined the amicus brief.

Legal Context

The filing asks the court to apply the longstanding fair use doctrine under U.S. copyright law to the training of generative AI models rather than to create a new exception. Its outcome could set a precedent for how similar claims are handled in other AI copyright suits.

The outcome could affect whether AI tools trained on books, articles, and research papers require licensing, which may influence the cost and availability of the chatbots and writing tools people use. Writers and publishers in New York and elsewhere may see changes in how their work is licensed or compensated.

The takeaway

Copyright rules for AI training are being tested in court now, so the answer will shape how creators are paid as these tools spread. Following the docket in the Southern District of New York is the best way to track its progress.