The Madras High Court recently ruled that unauthorized use of proprietary travel content as training data or prompts for AI tools constitutes copyright infringement. The case involves Keshan Infotech Pvt Ltd, operator of travelandtourworld.com, which accused Italian editor Oliver Brandt of systematically scraping its copyrighted content and reproducing it on Google-owned social media platforms while retaining the company’s logo, according to medianama.com.
Keshan Infotech sought four injunctions through Senior Advocate Rudraman Bhattacharya, including restraining Brandt from reproducing, copying, translating, or adapting its content by any means, whether human or AI-assisted. The court also barred the use of the content as input or training data for AI models, automated content generators, or web scrapers. Additionally, the ruling prohibits using the company’s website for automated scraping or AI-based content generation, establishing a broad protective scope against unauthorized AI use.
This ruling highlights growing legal scrutiny over AI’s use of copyrighted material, particularly in sectors like travel content where proprietary data is valuable. It sets a precedent for protecting digital content from AI-driven scraping and reproduction, aligning with global concerns about AI training data ethics. The case underscores challenges faced by content owners in safeguarding their intellectual property against AI technologies that can replicate and redistribute content without authorization.
The Madras High Court’s decision marks a significant step in Indian copyright law by explicitly addressing AI-assisted infringement. The case of Keshan Infotech vs Oliver Brandt is documented in the court’s recent order, which could influence future litigation involving AI and copyright protection in India.