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Businessing LLC v Runway AI Inc

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Case Information
Case name Businessing LLC v. Runway AI Inc[1]
Court U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York[1]
Docket 1:26-cv-01655-LAK; consolidated lead case 1:26-cv-01362-LAK[2]
Filed February 27, 2026[1]
Judge(s) Lewis A. Kaplan[2]
Plaintiffs Businessing LLC (operator of Ali Spagnola’s channel); consolidated with other creators[1]
Defendants Runway AI, Inc.[1]
Case type Proposed civil class action[1]
Claims / issues DMCA § 1201: alleged circumvention of YouTube access controls[1]
Status April 27, 2026 consolidated complaint; June 9, 2026 order added Gardner to the consolidated proceedings. Later developments have not been verified.[3][2]

Businessing LLC v. Runway AI, Inc. is the action filed by Businessing LLC, doing business as Ali Spagnola, on February 27, 2026 in the Southern District of New York (No. 1:26-cv-01655). It was consolidated with Ace Cam, Inc. v. Runway AI, Inc. under lead No. 1:26-cv-01362-LAK before Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.[4][5]


April 27, 2026 consolidated complaint; June 9, 2026 order added Gardner to the consolidated proceedings. Later developments have not been verified.[3][2]

Original allegations

The complaint identifies Businessing as the entity operating Ali Spagnola’s YouTube channel. It alleges that Runway bypassed YouTube’s technological access restrictions to obtain videos for generative-AI training, including at least 1,200 videos from that channel. Its pleaded cause of action is anti-circumvention under 17 U.S.C. § 1201(a), with statutory damages and injunctive relief requested. These are allegations in a proposed class action, not findings of infringement or an order certifying a class.[4]

Consolidated proceedings

The March 27 order consolidated Businessing and Ace Cam for all purposes, including trial and appeal, and appointed interim co-lead class counsel.[5] The lead docket records a consolidated complaint filed April 27, Runway’s motion to dismiss on May 27, opposition on June 26, and reply on July 13.[6]

On June 9, the court also consolidated the Gardner action. The endorsed request specified that the existing Ace Cam consolidated complaint would remain operative and that consolidation alone would not require another amended complaint or change existing deadlines.[7]

The public lead docket consulted for this update includes supplemental-authority submissions on August 4 and August 11. Those entries do not themselves establish a merits ruling.[6]

See Also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Court filing / case record, reviewed September 7, 2026
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Court filing / case record, reviewed September 7, 2026
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Court filing / case record, reviewed September 7, 2026
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Businessing LLC d/b/a Ali Spagnola v. Runway AI, complaint, February 27, 2026, caption, paragraphs 19 and 101–110
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 S.D.N.Y., Businessing v. Runway, public docket text of March 27, 2026 consolidation order, ECF 20
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 S.D.N.Y., Ace Cam v. Runway, lead docket entries 33–51 reproduced by Justia, consulted September 7, 2026
  7. ↑ S.D.N.Y., Ace Cam v. Runway, June 9, 2026 endorsed consolidation order, ECF 40
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