DOE vs. Github (amended complaint) Court Filing (Redacted), June 8, 2023 is part of HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series. You can jump to any part in this filing here. This is part 21 of 38.
VII. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
F. Copilot Reproduces the Code of the Named Plaintiffs Without Attribution
3. Example: Copilot Outputs the Code of Doe 5 In Modified Format
113. The third example demonstrates Copilot suggesting multiple modified copies of code written by Doe 5 in response to a sequence of prompts, which is a common way of using Copilot. To protect Doe 5’s identity, the paragraphs describing the code will be redacted.
- (Redacted) subject to the MIT License. (Redacted) The relevant code from the original source file is shown below: (Redacted)
115. When Copilot is prompted the first section of Doe 5’s code, comprising the first complete test and the name of the second: (Redacted)
116. The first suggestion from Copilot offers to complete the prompt with a verbatim copy of Doe 5’s original code, except that (Redacted) (a variation that does not affect how the code works): (Redacted)
117. Next, if the name of the third test is appended, the next prompt to Copilot looks like this: (Redacted)
118. The first suggestion from Copilot offers to complete the prompt with a functionally identical copy of Doe 5’s code, except (Redacted) (neither of these variations affect how the code works):(Redacted)
119. As is apparent from the high degree of similarity and minor cosmetic deviations between Copilot’s emitted output and Doe 5’s source code, Copilot ingested, copied and reproduced Doe 5’s source code as output.
120. Because Copilot is (repeatedly) reproducing Doe 5’s original code in modified format, and the obligations in Doe 5’s license (the MIT License) carries with the code even when it is modified, the Copilot suggestions need to follow the requirements of Doe 5’s license for that code, including providing attribution. They do not. Copilot also did not reproduce Doe 5’s license.
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