New York Times sues OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement

The Times says in the lawsuit that OpenAI and Microsoft should be held liable for "billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages."

By Madeleine Hubbard

Published: December 27, 2023 8:43am

Updated: December 27, 2023 11:05am

The New York Times filed a lawsuit Wednesday against OpenAI and Microsoft for alleged copyright infringement, sparking a legal battle that has long-term implications for the future of news media.

Automated chatbots were trained with millions of Times articles, and now artificial intelligence is generating content that competes with the New York outlet, according to a 69-page lawsuit filed in Manhattan's federal district court.

The Times says in the lawsuit that OpenAI and Microsoft should be held liable for "billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages" related to the "unlawful copying and use of The Times's uniquely valuable works."

The Times is the first major U.S. media organization to sue the companies that created popular AI platforms – including ChatGPT – over copyright problems related to writing.

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