Source: LawNext

LawNext reports on a significant development in the copyright lawsuit between Thomson Reuters (owner of Westlaw) and AI startup Ross Intelligence. Nine amicus briefs have been filed in support of Thomson Reuters, including submissions from the Motion Picture Association, the News Media Alliance, and notably, major competitor LexisNexis. The briefs argue that the specific selection, coordination, and arrangement of legal case law (like the KeyCite system) constitute creative expression protected by copyright.

The article highlights the unusual alliance between fierce competitors Westlaw and LexisNexis, underscoring the perceived threat AI scraping poses to the established legal information industry. Ross Intelligence argues that it only used the uncopyrightable judicial opinions and that the organizational headers are functional. However, the amici warn that allowing AI to ingest these curated databases without license would destroy the incentive to create complex organizational systems, threatening the entire creative economy.