The Trump administration has dismissed Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights, from her position heading the U.S. Copyright Office. This unexpected move follows the release of a report from Perlmutter’s office this week examining the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and copyrighted material. The report, the third in a series, raised questions about the amount of copyrighted data needed for AI training and the overall impact on the technology’s real-world utility. Sources familiar with the situation confirmed the firing to CBS News.
The timing of Perlmutter’s dismissal is particularly noteworthy, occurring shortly after the report’s publication and on the heels of President Trump’s dismissal of the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, who appointed Perlmutter to the position in October 2020. The White House has yet to issue an official statement regarding the firing.
President Trump has been a vocal supporter of artificial intelligence, previously announcing a massive private sector investment aimed at bolstering AI infrastructure. This commitment to AI development, coupled with the Copyright Office’s recent report expressing concerns about the use of copyrighted material in AI training, adds another layer of intrigue to Perlmutter’s dismissal.
The U.S. Copyright Office, a division of the Library of Congress, employs roughly 450 individuals. Its responsibilities include registering copyright claims, managing copyright ownership information, and overseeing the enforcement of copyright law. The impact of Perlmutter’s removal on the office’s ongoing work, particularly its investigations into the intersection of AI and copyright, remains to be seen.
This event follows the recent dismissal of the acting FEMA head, adding to a string of high-profile firings within the Trump administration. The reasons behind these dismissals, and their potential implications for the future direction of these agencies, continue to fuel speculation and discussion.
