Michelle ThompsonIrish wolfhounds took part in a demonstration led by writers protesting what they call the “unauthorised use” of their work in Meta’s AI training.
Organised by the Irish Writers Union (IWU), the protest took place outside the Dáil and Government buildings in Dublin.
The IWU, working alongside Irish publishers, screenwriters, and poets, is urging Meta to follow Irish and EU copyright regulations when developing its AI systems.
Protesters cited recent claims from a U.S. court case, alleging that Meta trained its Llama 3 AI using millions of copyrighted materials without permission.
Audrey Magee (left) and Conor McAnally (right) took part in Thursday’s protest in Dublin.
Author’s content used to train AI model
Award-winning author Audrey Magee, known for The Colony and The Undertaking, expressed shock upon learning her books were used to train AI without her consent. She voiced concern over the lack of control authors have when their work is accessed and used in such a manner.
Magee also highlighted the symbolic presence of Irish wolfhounds at the Dublin protest, describing it as a powerful nod to Ireland’s literary and mythological heritage.
Other Irish Writers Union (IWU) members, including The Weekend Break author Ruth O’Leary and The Killing Sense author Sam Blake, have also claimed their work was harvested for AI development.
IWU Chairman Conor McAnally criticized tech giants, stating that writers already face challenges earning a living and should not have their work exploited without pay. He emphasized the union’s commitment to defending authors’ rights and urged the Irish Government to hold Meta accountable for alleged copyright violations.
A petition with 1,500 signatures was submitted to the Irish Department for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation.
Minister Niamh Smyth TD acknowledged the rapid evolution of AI and said Irish and EU policies are being updated to meet these new challenges.
The IWU is advising members to file formal legal complaints against Meta, demanding the immediate halt of AI training using their copyrighted material without consent. They are also calling for fair licensing agreements and compensation for any prior unauthorised usage.
An investigation by The Atlantic suggested Meta may have used pirated content from sources like Library Genesis (LibGen) to train its Llama generative AI model.
In response, a Meta spokesperson stated the company respects intellectual property rights and believes its AI training practices align with current laws.
