We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience, serve personalized ads, and analyze traffic. You can manage your preferences or accept/reject all.
Cookie Preferences
EssentialRequired for the site to function. Always active.
AnalyticsHelp us understand how visitors interact with the site.
AdvertisingUsed to deliver personalized ads.
FunctionalEnable enhanced functionality and personalization.
Artists are lawyering up against AI slop, and some are even winning
·1 min read
Key Takeaway
When The Atlantic published a searchable dataset of works used to train AI, Kirk Wallace Johnson, like a lot of artists, looked for his name out of curiosity. And, like a lot of artists, he found it.
Published July 29, 2026 · Category: Tech
Overview
Artists whose work has been co-opted by AI are taking to court. | Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge
When The Atlantic published a searchable dataset of works used to train AI, Kirk Wallace Johnson, like a lot of artists, looked for his name out of curiosity. And, like a lot of artists, he found it. Essentially, his books, like The Feather Thief and The Fishermen and the Dragon - nonfiction tomes that he spent "five to six years researching, writing, and investigating" - had been pirated and fed to a chatbot. He says he felt a "cocktail" of emotions: "anger over the brazenness of the theft, worry over what this means for writers, and a healthy thirst for revenge on these massive corporations that have become galactically wealthy" using his …
What is "Artists are lawyering up against AI slop, and some are even winning" about?+
When The Atlantic published a searchable dataset of works used to train AI, Kirk Wallace Johnson, like a lot of artists, looked for his name out of curiosity. And, like a lot of artists, he found it. Essentially, his books, like The Feather Thief and The Fishermen and the Dragon - nonfiction tomes that he […]
We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience, serve personalized ads, and analyze traffic. You can manage your preferences or accept/reject all.
Cookie Preferences
EssentialRequired for the site to function. Always active.
AnalyticsHelp us understand how visitors interact with the site.
AdvertisingUsed to deliver personalized ads.
FunctionalEnable enhanced functionality and personalization.
