President Donald Trump has dismissed the top official in charge of copyright in the U.S. Critics of this move suggest it may undermine the autonomy of the U.S. Copyright Office and disrupt ongoing efforts to regulate how artificial intelligence companies utilize copyrighted materials.
Internal communications from the Library of Congress indicate that Silla Permater, who has held the position of copyright register since 2020, was informed on Saturday that her employment was terminated.
This decision follows closely on the heels of the White House’s firing of Congressional Librarian Carla Hayden, who was responsible for appointing and overseeing the Copyright Office.
Although no official reasons have been given for the firings, lawmakers are connecting Permater’s dismissal with a recent report from the Copyright Bureau. That report scrutinized the legality of how AI companies train their generative models using copyrighted content.
“It’s hard to believe this is just a coincidence. The timing is curious, especially since we recently pushed back against Elon Musk’s attempts to use a large number of copyrighted works for AI training,” remarked Rep. Joe Morell (D-N.Y.), a leading member of the House Management Committee overseeing the Library and the Copyright Office.
Permater’s office had recently released a detailed report evaluating the intersection of copyright and artificial intelligence. This report was the third in a series that looks into the legal and economic implications of AI-generated content.
While the report stopped short of recommending immediate regulatory actions, it did raise questions regarding the “fair use” defenses many AI companies depend on to use copyrighted materials.
“The extensive commercial use of copyrighted works to create competing content—especially when achieved through unauthorized access—challenges the limits of fair use,” the report stated.
The report advocated for the development of licensing markets, like expanded collective licensing, to fill existing gaps, but also cautioned against premature governmental intervention.
Morell further criticized the Trump administration, suggesting it has overstepped its constitutional boundaries.
“This action puts the powers of Congress under Article 1 at risk, potentially throwing a trillion-dollar industry into disarray,” he said. “How much more will it take for my Republican colleagues to find a balanced approach?”
The White House has not commented on the matter.
Musk, who was instrumental in launching OpenAI and currently leads rival Xai (formerly Twitter, now merged with X), has recently supported calls from Jack Dorsey to eliminate all intellectual property laws.
His AI initiative faces several lawsuits from content creators claiming copyright violations.
In May 2024, OpenAI and News Corp announced a significant multi-year agreement that allows OpenAI access to News Corp’s extensive collection of news content, both current and archived.
The request for comment from News Corp and The News/Media Alliance is still pending.
Currently, copyright registrations are assigned by Congressional librarians rather than directly by the president, although the librarian’s role does require presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.
This direct involvement in the firing has sparked concerns about political interference in what has historically been a nonpartisan area of regulation.
With leadership positions in both the Library and the Copyright Office vacant, it remains uncertain how future conflicts over AI and copyright issues will be resolved.
