Company Offering Printed Books to Train AI Stops After 404 Media Coverage
A book-database company quietly pivoted away from selling scanned books for AI training after public backlash forced its hand.
Why it matters
This is a work/policy story about how public pressure and potential copyright liability are reshaping what companies can do with published material for AI training. It signals tightening constraints on data sourcing in an era of copyright litigation.
The key facts
10 to knowISBNdb removed webpages advertising AI training datasets after 404 Media coverage
Company denied ever actually buying, scanning, or selling books for AI training
Characterized the initiative as a 'test of market interest'
Backlash forced the company to retreat from the business model
Part of broader copyright/licensing tension in AI training data sourcing
ISBNdb removed AI training webpages after 404 Media coverage
Company denied ever buying, scanning, or selling books for AI training
Positioned the initiative as a 'test of market interest' after backlash
Reflects growing tension between AI training data sourcing and creator/copyright concerns
Public backlash sufficient to force a company retreat on a stated business model
Go to the source
404 Media404media.co
Publisher excerpt: Citing backlash, ISBNdb removed its webpages about training AI, denied ever buying, scanning, or selling a book for AI training, and said the site was a "test of market interest."