Source: Reuters

Reuters reports that on November 21, 2025, design software company Figma was sued in a proposed class action in California federal court. The lawsuit alleges that Figma misused its customers' private designs and data to train its artificial intelligence models without obtaining proper permission. Unlike many copyright-focused lawsuits against AI companies, this complaint accuses Figma of stealing customer trade secrets and illegally accessing sensitive proprietary data to fuel its generative AI tools. The plaintiffs argue that Figma breached its longstanding promises of data privacy by automatically opting users into AI training protocols without adequate notice.

The complaint claims that this unauthorized use of customer intellectual property contributed to Figma's high valuation in its recent public offering. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and a court order to permanently block Figma from using AI models developed through the alleged violation of customer rights. This case underscores the growing legal conflict regarding how software-as-a-service providers leverage user data to develop competitive AI features, potentially infringing on the confidentiality and proprietary rights of the businesses that rely on their tools.