YouTuber sues Runway AI for scraping videos to train AI

Technology Feb 25, 2026

David Gardner, a YouTuber from LA, is suing Runway AI for allegedly downloading his and other creators' YouTube videos without permission to train its generative AI.

He says Runway bypassed YouTube's copyright protections and that the company violated YouTube's terms of service and California's unfair competition law.

Gardner hopes to represent fellow creators in a class action and is asking for damages.

Similar lawsuits have been filed against other AI companies

Gardner's lawsuit isn't alone—other YouTubers have filed similar cases against big AI companies like NVIDIA, Meta, and Snap for scraping videos to train their tech.

Those YouTubers have brought similar ongoing lawsuits against those companies.