A Montreal court has concluded hearings over alleged use of copyrighted works to train language models. A decision is expected in 2027.
Two days of closing arguments have concluded in Montreal in author Anne Robillard’s application for authorization to bring a class action against Meta. The author of the Emerald Knights series alleges that the company used illicit copies of works, including those of Quebec authors she represents, to train large language models. These are the plaintiff’s allegations, not findings by the court.
Meta disputes the application of Canadian copyright law to the alleged facts and argues that the case should be heard in the United States. Its lawyers also questioned the Quebec Superior Court’s jurisdiction. Robillard’s lawyer, Marie Audren, argued that at the authorization stage the applicant needs to establish only a simple probability of success.
Justice Martin F. Sheehan took the case under advisement and said he expected to rule in 2027. He also noted that he would soon hear a related authorization application by Robillard against OpenAI and Microsoft and might hear that case before deciding the Meta matter. Robillard said she had worked as a legal secretary for 27 years and was not surprised by Meta’s arguments. Her lawyer said the plaintiffs trusted the judicial process.