Thomson Reuters Wins Landmark AI Copyright Case Against Ross Intelligence

Thomson Reuters has won a pivotal legal battle in the United States, marking the first major AI copyright case in the country. The case, initiated in 2020, involved a lawsuit against the legal AI startup Ross Intelligence. Thomson Reuters accused Ross Intelligence of reproducing materials from its legal research service, Westlaw, without permission.

On February 11, 2025, US District Court Judge Stephanos Bibas ruled in favor of Thomson Reuters, concluding that Ross Intelligence's actions constituted copyright infringement. The ruling also addressed the issue of fair use, a defense commonly employed by AI companies. Judge Bibas found that Ross Intelligence's use of Westlaw's content did not qualify as fair use, particularly because Ross aimed to create a competing product.

This decision is significant as it sets a precedent in the ongoing debate over the use of copyrighted materials by AI companies. The ruling could impact other tech companies involved in similar legal disputes, as it challenges the applicability of fair use in the context of AI-generated content. Thomson Reuters expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing the protection of its editorial content under copyright law.