When Apple announced its latest advances in artificial intelligence, the attention quickly shifted from innovation to litigation. In September 2025, several authors filed lawsuits against Apple, claiming that the company used their books without permission to train its AI models. Similar claims have surfaced against other major tech companies, reflecting growing tensions between AI development and copyright law.
These cases highlight an essential truth: copyright protection matters more than ever for big corporations and small business owners alike. Whether you’re writing a blog, designing software, or creating marketing content, your work has value. Protecting that work is essential to maintaining ownership and preventing unauthorized use.
Why Copyright Law Matters for Businesses and Creators
Copyright law gives creators and businesses the exclusive right to use, distribute, reproduce, and display their original works. This applies to nearly any creative or intellectual product, including books, websites, logos, photography, videos, software, and even marketing materials.
For businesses, copyright is more than a legal formality; it’s a strategic safeguard. It allows you to protect your investments in branding, technology, and content creation. In an era when AI systems scrape vast amounts of online material for “training,” companies that fail to secure their copyrights risk losing control of how their work is used, or misused.
The Apple lawsuit serves as a modern example. Authors argue that their copyrighted books were used to train AI without permission, potentially generating derivative works that compete with the originals. Even if the case takes years to resolve, it underscores one key point: ownership matters, and documentation of that ownership is your best defense.
How to Copyright Your Work
You don’t have to be a global brand to protect your intellectual property. Copyright registration in the United States is relatively simple—and well worth the effort.
Here’s how copyrighting works:
- Create an original work. The moment you create something tangible (like writing, artwork, code, or video), it’s automatically protected under U.S. copyright law.
- Register your copyright. To strengthen your protection, file your work online with the U.S. Copyright Office. You’ll need to submit your work, pay a small fee (typically $45–$65), and fill out a short form identifying the author and type of work.
- Keep documentation. Maintain copies, drafts, and proof of authorship. These records can be critical if a dispute arises later.
Registration makes it easier to enforce your rights in court and can help you claim statutory damages if someone infringes on your work.
How to Protect Your Copyrighted Materials
Once your work is protected, proactive steps can prevent misuse:
- Use digital watermarks or metadata to mark ownership of visual content.
- Include copyright notices (© + your name + year) on all published materials.
- Review your contracts to ensure that ownership of creative work is clearly defined when hiring freelancers or vendors.
- Monitor online use with reverse image or text search tools to catch unauthorized copies.
Run a business in Austin, Texas, and want to protect your creative or digital assets? The Intellectual Property Attorneys at Richards Rodriguez & Skeith can help you develop a strategy to register, monitor, and enforce your rights effectively.
What to Do If Someone Infringes on Your Copyrighted Work
Discovering your work used without permission can be frustrating, but it’s not the end of the story.
If you suspect copyright infringement:
- Document the violation. Take screenshots, URLs, or copies of the unauthorized material.
- Contact the offender. Sometimes a polite cease-and-desist letter can resolve the issue.
- Consult an attorney. An intellectual property lawyer can help assess your options and, if needed, pursue a legal claim for damages.
Acting quickly helps prevent further misuse and protects your ownership rights over the long term.
Protecting Creativity and IP in the Age of AI
As the Apple lawsuit shows, copyright disputes are no longer limited to traditional media—they’re expanding into the world of artificial intelligence, data, and software. While technology changes rapidly, the foundation of copyright law remains the same: protecting originality and rewarding creators for their ideas.
For Austin businesses and creators, understanding and applying these protections isn’t just about avoiding risk – it’s about building a sustainable foundation for innovation and growth.
If you need guidance on copyrighting your work or to protect it from infringement, we are here for you. Protect your creativity and your business in our rapidly evolving digital world. The Intellectual Property team at Richards Rodriguez & Keith in Austin is here to consult with you.
