US government backs OpenAI: training LLMs on copyrighted material is fair use

US government sides with OpenAI on issue of training LLMs on copyrighted material

The Trump administration filed a 20-page brief supporting OpenAI in the New York Times lawsuit, arguing that training LLMs on copyrighted material is fair use. The brief states the US has a strong interest in maintaining global AI leadership. The article doesn't say how this will affect the case outcome, but the government's stance is a significant signal.

Why it matters: A rare, explicit policy signal: the US gov formally backs fair use for AI training data. This directly shapes the NYT v. OpenAI case and long-term data norms. Score held back because the article doesn't assess the filing's actual legal weight on the court.