New Delhi: Google, the tech giant known for its widespread data collection practices, is now facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States. The lawsuit alleges that Google has been engaging in unauthorized data scraping from websites, utilizing the acquired data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

Eight individuals, acting as representatives of millions of internet users and copyright holders, have brought the lawsuit against Google. They argue that Google's data scraping practices infringe upon their privacy and property rights. The plaintiffs claim that Google has been unlawfully extracting various types of data from websites, including personal information like names, addresses, and email addresses.

Additionally, they assert that copyrighted materials, such as articles, books, and images, have been unlawfully collected. According to the plaintiffs, Google employs this data to enhance its AI systems, such as language models and image recognition technologies.

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The plaintiffs are seeking both monetary compensation and injunctive relief. They request damages for the violations committed and an order requiring Google to cease its data scraping practices without proper permission. As of now, Google has not provided an official response to the lawsuit, leaving room for speculation regarding the company's stance on the matter.

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This legal action against Google emerges amidst mounting concerns over the company's extensive data collection methods. In recent times, Google has faced criticism for gathering excessive amounts of user data and employing it for undisclosed purposes, raising privacy concerns among users.

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Furthermore, this lawsuit adds to Google's growing legal challenges related to its AI products. In June, the company was sued by OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, who alleged that Google's AI research team had plagiarized OpenAI's code.

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This latest lawsuit filed against Google highlights the escalating apprehensions surrounding the potential misuse of data in training AI systems. The outcome of this legal battle remains uncertain; however, it is expected to have significant ramifications for Google's AI business.