Cox Communications decision continues to wipe out contributory infringement claims in lawsuits v. AI companies

A growing number of plaintiffs are dropping contributory infringement claims against AI companies following the Supreme Court's unanimous 9-0 decision in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment, with the Advanced Local Media plaintiffs being the latest to do so. Legal experts expect most such claims to be dismissed, as the Sony safe harbor protects technologies capable of substantial non-infringing uses, such as creating non-infringing works.

Add the Advanced Local Media plaintiffs to the list of plaintiffs dropping their contributory infringement claims against AI companies after the Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment . I expect most of these lawsuits will drop the contributory infringement claim or ultimately have it dismissed. A few plaintiffs may try to argue i intentional inducement or even ii developing a technology specially designed only for infringement. But the latter theories need evidence and are also likely to be losers. The Sony safe harbor looms large for the latter theory: technologies capable of substantially non-infringing uses, such as creation of non-infringing works, will almost certainly defeat any claim of a “specially designed” technology that is good for “nothing but infringement.” Court’s Order: Related Stories