Penguin Random House Explicitly Says 'No' to AI Training in Books

AI Training Rejection Is Here

Penguin Random House has made headlines by stating a clear opposition to AI training with their books. The newly updated copyright page, now printed in all new and reprinted books, boldly declares that 'No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.' This declaration sets a significant precedent in the publishing world.

Caution Against AI Data Mining

This initiative aligns with current European Union regulations, wherein Penguin Random House explicitly reserves their works from the text and data mining exception. This makes them the first major publisher to address AI implications directly on the copyright page.

Is It Effective?

Although this message may serve as a preventative measure, it lacks any legal enforceability. Similar to a robots.txt file used by websites to deter AI from scraping data, this statement is more symbolic in nature. It emphasizes the publisher's commitment to protect their content against AI exploitation.

Intellectual Property Defense

Back in August, the company reaffirmed their intention to 'vigorously defend the intellectual property that belongs to our authors and artists.' This statement further emphasizes their protective stance amid a climate where other publishers, like Wiley and Oxford University Press, are engaging in AI training deals.