Michaela
Shira Perlmutter, the head of the U.S. Copyright Office, has reportedly been dismissed by the Trump administration shortly after her office released the third installment of an extensive report examining artificial intelligence—raising questions about how copyrighted works are being used in the development of AI technologies.
According to CBS News, two individuals with knowledge of the matter have confirmed Perlmutter’s removal from her role.
Democratic Representative Joe Morelle also confirmed Shira Perlmutter’s dismissal through an offiсial statement. “Donald Trump’s termination of Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, is a brazen, unprecedented power grab with no legal basis,” Morelle wrote. “It is surely no coincidence he acted less than a day after she refused to rubber-stamp Elon Musk’s efforts to mine troves of copyrighted works to train AI models,” Morelle added, in reference to the report released by the Copyright Office this week.
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“It is an open question, however, how much data an AI developer needs, and the marginal effect of more data on a model’s capabilities,” the report stated. “Not everyone agrees that further increases in data and test performance will necessarily lead to continued real world improvements in utility.”
Furthermore, the office emphasized that while each case must be evaluated on its own merits, AI developers may face limits in relying on “fair use” protections when training models on copyrighted material. The agency noted that it is premature to make broad determinations, but cautioned that the boundaries of fair use remain a critical legal consideration in the context of artificial intelligence.
“But making commercial use of vast troves of copyrighted works to produce expressive content that competes with them in existing markets, especially where this is accomplished through illegal access, goes beyond established fair use boundaries,” the report added.
Perlmutter had served as Register of Copyrights since October 2020, after being appointed by former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Hayden, who was also dismissed by President Trump on Thursday, had overseen Perlmutter’s appointment during the previous Trump administration.
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In recent weeks, Musk used his platform X to voice apparent support for dismantling intellectual property laws, a stance that aligns with his growing involvement in artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, President Trump has signaled strong backing for AI innovation. Shortly after taking office, he unveiled a high-profile joint initiative involving OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, pledging up to $500 billion in private sector investment toward building advanced AI infrastructure.
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MICHAELA
Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.
