The Seattle Times and Newsday have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging the companies used their journalism to train generative AI models without permission. The complaint argues that this practice threatens the viability of newsrooms by turning them into sources of free data for commercial products. The plaintiffs describe the situation as a cycle where artificial intelligence consumes original reporting to generate derivative content, effectively destroying the very organisations that produced the material. This action follows a similar legal challenge launched by The New York Times in 2023, which also targeted OpenAI and Microsoft. The Seattle Times case is distinct because the technology firms have previously funded the newspaper’s specific journalism projects and fellowships. A Microsoft spokesperson stated the company was surprised by the legal move but expressed willingness to discuss solutions. The dispute highlights the growing tension between publishers protecting their intellectual property and tech giants accessing vast datasets to power their services.
The core issue remains the financial model for digital journalism, where publications risk subsidising the training of systems that may eventually compete with them. Litigation attempts to establish legal precedents regarding copyright infringement in the context of machine learning. The outcome could influence how many news outlets approach data licensing agreements with major technology firms.
- Microsoft and OpenAI previously funded Seattle Times journalism initiatives
- The lawsuit claims AI products are rapacious consumers of original content
- Legal precedent from The New York Times case informs this new filing
