Penguin Random House has updated its copyright pages to protect authors’ intellectual property from being used in the training of artificial intelligence systems, The Bookseller reports. The new wording explicitly prohibits the use or reproduction of its books for AI training and will be included in all new and reprinted titles. This move comes amid concerns over copyright infringement and the unauthorized use of published works by tech companies. Penguin Random House is the first major anglophone trade publisher to implement such changes, reflecting the growing impact of AI on the publishing industry.
Tom Weldon, Penguin Random House UK’s CEO, emphasized the company’s commitment to defending authors’ rights while innovating responsibly with AI. The Authors Licensing and Collecting Society welcomed the update, urging other publishers to adopt similar measures. However, the Society of Authors called for further amendments in author contracts to ensure consent is sought before using generative AI. Legal experts highlighted the need for publishers to control AI training practices to protect their financial interests.