Adobe Inc. is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The suit, initiated by author Elizabeth Lyon, alleges that Adobe utilized copyrighted books, including Lyon’s instructional works, to train its artificial intelligence models without obtaining proper authorization. These AI tools are designed to assist with document-related tasks on mobile devices. Lyon contends that Adobe employed pirated copies of books for AI training and seeks unspecified monetary damages on behalf of all affected copyright holders. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/adobe-sued-allegedly-misusing-authors-work-ai-training-2025-12-17/?utm_source=openai))
This legal action is part of a broader trend of litigation against technology companies over the use of copyrighted materials in AI training datasets. Notably, Anthropic settled a related lawsuit for $1.5 billion, marking one of the largest settlements in a copyright case to date. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/adobe-sued-allegedly-misusing-authors-work-ai-training-2025-12-17/?utm_source=openai))
The core of the dispute centers on the “RedPajama” dataset, which includes a subset known as “Books3.” This subset comprises a vast collection of books, many of which are alleged to have been obtained without proper authorization. The “Books3” dataset has been a focal point in several lawsuits, with authors claiming that their works were included without consent. ([9to5mac.com](https://9to5mac.com/2025/09/05/two-authors-accuse-apple-of-illegally-training-ai-models-on-pirated-books/?utm_source=openai))
Adobe has not yet provided a public response to the allegations. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the use of copyrighted materials in AI training and the responsibilities of technology companies in ensuring compliance with copyright laws.
As of December 17, 2025, Adobe Inc. (ADBE) shares are trading at $354.66, reflecting a slight increase from the previous close. The company’s stock performance may be influenced by the developments in this lawsuit and the broader discourse on copyright and AI.