Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 5
Seattle Times, Newsday Sue OpenAI and Microsoft Over AI Training on 2 Newsrooms' Content
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 5

Seattle Times, Newsday Sue OpenAI and Microsoft Over AI Training on 2 Newsrooms' Content

3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 5

Summary

  • The Seattle Times and Newsday filed suit accusing OpenAI and Microsoft of using their journalism to train AI systems without permission or payment.
  • The complaint says generative AI could leave journalism "broken beyond repair," arguing tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot consume human reporting and return copies or derivative imitations for commercial gain.
  • Microsoft said it was surprised by the lawsuit but willing to discuss solutions, a notable response because Microsoft and OpenAI have funded some Seattle Times journalism projects and fellowships.
  • The case adds 2 more publishers to a widening legal fight that began with The New York Times' 2023 copyright suit and has since drawn other news organizations into similar claims.

Insights

If courts order the destruction of ChatGPT's training models, could this lawsuit single-handedly reset the entire generative AI industry?
Why are tech giants funding local journalism projects while simultaneously being accused of scraping their content to destroy their business models?
Will the shift from web search to AI-generated answers drive local newspapers into total extinction by siphoning their vital traffic?