Creativity Machine AI system creator Steven Thaler sued the U.S. Copyright Office and its director, Sheera Perlmutter, for refusing to register his model as an image author.

Thaler has already applied to the patent office, but has received rejections. He wants to get a digital drawing of a railroad track and tunnel surrounded by colorful pixelated foliage registered under Creativity Machine's copyright. Under U.S. law, the author of a work and its copyright owner are not necessarily the same person.

The developer's lawyer believes that the Copyright Office should revoke its previous decision and approve the patent application filed by the plaintiff.