Apple Inc., one of the world’s most valuable and influential technology companies, is at the center of a high-profile lawsuit filed by two renowned neuroscientists. Professors Susana Martinez-Conde and Stephen Macknik of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in New York have brought a proposed class action lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of unlawfully using thousands of copyrighted books, some of which include their own works, to train its artificial intelligence (AI) system, Apple Intelligence.
Background of the Lawsuit
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on October 9, 2025, the lawsuit alleges Apple harnessed large-scale pirated datasets from so-called “shadow libraries.” These shadow libraries are unauthorized digital repositories that store millions of copyrighted books without permission from the authors or publishers. Apple’s usage of these shadow libraries for training its OpenELM model, which underpins the Apple Intelligence AI system, has drawn sharp legal scrutiny.
The neuroscientists specifically cited two of their book titles, Champions of Illusion: The Science Behind Mind-Boggling Images and Mystifying Brain Puzzles and Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals About Our Everyday Deceptions, as part of the pirated content Apple allegedly used without permission or compensation.
Dataset at the Heart of the Controversy
Central to the dispute is the Books3 dataset, a collection of roughly 190,000 plain-text files extracted from pirated e-books. This dataset has been a focal point in numerous copyright lawsuits against AI developers across the tech industry. The plaintiffs argue that Apple’s AI training capitalized on this unauthorized content to build its AI system, contributing to significant corporate value gains. Notably, the lawsuit points out that Apple’s market value surged by more than $200 billion on the day it publicly introduced Apple Intelligence, marking the single most profitable day in the company’s history.
Broader Legal Context and Industry Implications
This lawsuit is not an isolated incident but part of a mounting wave of copyright litigation challenging how tech companies train AI systems. Similar lawsuits have been filed against other industry leaders such as OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Anthropic. In fact, Anthropic settled a class action lawsuit in August 2025 for $1.5 billion over the use of the same pirated dataset, setting a historical precedent as the largest copyright recovery in the U.S. related to AI.
Authors, artists, and content creators argue that unauthorized use of their copyrighted works for AI training without fair payment and consent amounts to exploitation that undermines their economic rights. Conversely, many AI developers contend training models on large datasets is transformative and falls under fair use, highlighting the tension between technological innovation and intellectual property protections.
What People Are Saying
The lawsuit has sparked widespread debate among technology experts, legal scholars, content creators, and the public. Advocates for creators emphasize that the legal system must enforce copyrights strictly to protect the value of creative works and provide fair compensation to original authors. They argue that AI companies should establish clear licensing agreements with content owners rather than relying on unauthorized “shadow library” datasets.
On the other hand, proponents of AI development stress that access to widespread data is critical for progress in machine learning and AI capabilities. They express concern that stringent limitations on training data could stifle innovation and delay the deployment of advanced AI services widely integrated into consumer products.
Public discourse also criticizes Apple for potential contradictions between its polished marketing of advanced AI features and the underlying ethical concerns raised by the lawsuit. Apple Intelligence, the AI-powered suite included in devices like iPhones and iPads, promised transformative capabilities. Yet allegations about how its AI training data was procured raise questions about corporate responsibility and transparency in the AI development lifecycle.
Potential Outcomes and Next Steps
The neuroscientists seek monetary damages, the amount of which is unspecified, and a court injunction to prohibit Apple from further use of copyrighted materials obtained from shadow libraries. Given Apple’s enormous market capitalization and revenue derived from AI innovations, the lawsuit could have substantial financial and operational consequences.
More broadly, these legal battles may push the AI industry toward more regulated and licensed data practices, encouraging companies to negotiate rights with authors and content providers proactively. They might also prompt lawmakers and regulators to clarify copyright frameworks for AI and balance the interests of technology firms and creative communities.
Conclusion
Apple being sued by neuroscientists over the use of AI training data exemplifies the growing complexity at the intersection of artificial intelligence, copyright law, and innovation. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday technologies, the legal and ethical norms governing training data acquisition are being rigorously tested. This case, along with similar lawsuits, will likely shape the future of AI development, intellectual property rights, and the economics of creativity in the digital age.
Stakeholders across industries will keenly watch the progression of this lawsuit and its impact on how tech companies collaborate with or compensate creators when building the AI systems of tomorrow. The resolution will have implications both for Apple and the broader AI ecosystem striving to balance rapid innovation with responsible data usage and respect for intellectual property rights.
