Seattle Times and Newsday sue OpenAI and Microsoft for infringement

THE NEWS

What happened

The Seattle Times and Newsday have filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement by using their journalism as training data without permission. The publishers seek the destruction of AI models and datasets containing their works, joining a broader wave of legal action from nearly 400 newspapers claiming chatbots threaten subscription revenue.

CONTEXT

Why it matters

The Seattle Times and Newsday have officially sued OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement. The publishers argue that the companies used their journalism to train AI models without permission and often reproduce their reporting in responses. They are seeking the destruction of any datasets or models containing their work. This lawsuit is part of a larger trend, with nearly 400 local newspapers recently filing similar suits against both companies, citing significant losses in subscription revenue as chatbots reduce the need to visit news sites for information.

AT A GLANCE

Key facts

• The Seattle Times and Newsday sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement.
• Plaintiffs allege unauthorized use of journalism as training data and reproduction of passages in AI responses.
• Microsoft is named as a defendant because Copilot relies on OpenAI's technology.
• This lawsuit joins nearly 400 similar cases filed by local newspapers against the two companies.
• Publishers are seeking the destruction of all copies of their works held by the defendants, including training datasets and AI models.
• The core complaint is that chatbots reduce traffic to news sites, harming subscription revenue.