Nvidia Sued by Authors for Copyright Infringement in Training NeMo AI

San Francisco, March 28, 2025 - Technology giant Nvidia is facing a lawsuit from three authors who claim that their copyrighted books were used without permission to train the company's NeMo AI platform. The authors, Brian Keene, Abdi Nazemian, and Stewart O'Nan, allege that their works were included in a dataset of approximately 196,640 books used to train NeMo in generating written language. The dataset was later removed in October due to reported copyright infringement.

Legal Action and Allegations

In a proposed class action filed in San Francisco federal court, the authors argue that the removal of the dataset effectively acknowledges Nvidia's infringement of their copyrights. They are seeking unspecified damages on behalf of individuals in the United States whose works contributed to training NeMo's large language models over the past three years. The lawsuit specifically mentions works such as Keene's 2008 novel "Ghost Walk," Nazemian's 2019 novel "Like a Love Story," and O'Nan's 2007 novella "Last Night at the Lobster."

Nvidia's Response

Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, California, has declined to comment on the lawsuit. Legal representatives for the authors did not provide immediate comments on the matter.

Implications and Industry Trends

This lawsuit adds to the mounting legal challenges faced by companies in the field of generative AI, including the New York Times, over the creation of new content based on various inputs. Nvidia promotes NeMo as a rapid and cost-effective solution for adopting generative AI. Other companies, such as OpenAI and its partner Microsoft, have also faced legal actions related to similar technology.

Financial Performance

The rise of AI technology has contributed to Nvidia's popularity among investors, with the company's stock price soaring by nearly 600% since the conclusion of 2022. This surge has propelled Nvidia's market value to almost $2.2 trillion, highlighting its significant position in the technology industry.

Legal Case Details

The lawsuit is identified as Nazemian et al v Nvidia Corp, and it is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, under case number 24-01454.