Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Fights to Avoid Deposition in Copyright Lawsuit

A recent court filing has revealed that Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is attempting to avoid being deposed in a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI. In response, lawyers for the Authors Guild have filed a motion to compel testimony from Amodei and his co-founder, Benjamin Mann.

Background of the Lawsuit

The Authors Guild, which represents writers such as John Grisham, George R.R. Martin, and Sylvia Day, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in September 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI trained its ChatGPT model on stolen material, and the Authors Guild is seeking damages and other relief.

Motion to Compel Testimony

Lawyers for the Authors Guild claim that Amodei and Mann possess "unique, firsthand knowledge of information highly relevant to this case." The Authors Guild sent subpoenas to Amodei and Mann in 2024 seeking testimony as well as communications from their time at OpenAI. Amodei and Mann originally agreed to sit for seven-hour depositions, but have since delayed the testimony.

Reasons for Delay

Lawyers for Amodei and Mann claim that the CEO’s schedule is too demanding, citing the "apex doctrine." Mann has also requested that his testimony be coordinated with a deposition in a consolidated lawsuit and limited to four hours. His lawyers have also stated that Mann will only sit for a deposition if the Authors Guild agrees not to depose Amodei.

Motion to Quash Subpoena

Mann has since filed a motion to quash the subpoena and deposition in the consolidated OpenAI case. His lawyers argue that the subpoena is overly broad and that Mann’s testimony is not relevant to the case.

Consequences of Avoiding Deposition

If Amodei and Mann are not compelled to testify, it could have significant consequences for the Authors Guild’s case. The lawsuit is one of many that allege OpenAI trained its ChatGPT model on stolen material, and the Authors Guild is seeking damages and other relief.

Background of the Consolidated Lawsuit

The consolidated lawsuit involves three separate actions brought by comedian Sarah Silverman, author Michael Chabon, and author Paul Tremblay. The lawsuit is ongoing, and the Authors Guild is seeking to coordinate its testimony with the consolidated case.

Response from OpenAI

OpenAI has not responded to a request for comment on the matter. The company is reportedly in talks to raise $40 billion at a valuation of $340 billion.

Discovery in the Authors Guild Case

Discovery in the Authors Guild case is supposed to wrap up in April. The motion and subpoenas have not been previously reported, and the Authors Guild has not commented on the matter.

Previous Deposition

Amodei sat for a five-hour interview with podcaster Lex Fridman two months ago. His lawyers have cited the "apex doctrine" as a reason for his unavailability for deposition.

Conclusion

The motion to compel testimony from Amodei and Mann has raised questions about the Authors Guild’s case and the potential consequences of avoiding deposition. The consolidated lawsuit and the ongoing discovery process will likely have a significant impact on the outcome of the case.