USA Today Joins Growing Wave of Publishers Suing OpenAI
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The publisher is seeking over $250 million in damages, alleging OpenAI used hundreds of thousands of articles without permission to build its AI models.
USA Today Co. and several of its local newspapers have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, seeking damages exceeding $250 million. According to reporting from The Verge, the publisher alleges that OpenAI copied "hundreds of thousands" of articles to train its AI models without seeking permission.
In the filing, USA Today Co. claims that OpenAI's unauthorized use of its content has caused "real and continuing" harm. The lawsuit asserts that OpenAI's commercial success is built upon large-scale copyright infringement, utilizing the publisher's content to develop products valued at hundreds of billions of dollars. The legal action includes several local outlets, such as The Oklahoman, The Columbus Dispatch, Indy Star, and The Tennessean.
This action is part of a broader legal trend targeting the AI developer. The Verge notes that OpenAI is currently facing similar copyright lawsuits from The New York Times, The Intercept, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster, CNET owner Ziff Davis, CBC/Radio-Canada, and The Seattle Times, as well as a coalition representing nearly 400 local newspapers. OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Verge.