OpenAI accuses plaintiffs of evidence tampering in copyright suit

OpenAI has formally accused plaintiffs’ counsel of manipulating critical evidence in an ongoing class action lawsuit alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted works for AI training. The company filed a motion claiming attorneys altered metadata and timestamps to misrepresent when training data was accessed, potentially prejudicing the defense. Plaintiffs have denied the allegations, characterizing them as tactical delays intended to derail certification proceedings. If substantiated, the accusations could lead to sanctions or dismissal of specific claims under federal civil procedure rules. This development intensifies scrutiny on legal strategies employed in high-stakes AI intellectual property litigation. The case remains one of several consolidated actions testing whether large language model training constitutes fair use. A hearing on the evidentiary dispute is scheduled for next month. Legal experts note that proven misconduct could significantly impact settlement leverage and precedent-setting outcomes regarding AI training data liability.