The New York Times has filed a high-profile copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging that the companies used its articles to train generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, without proper authorization. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, argues that the unauthorized use of the Times’ content breaches copyright laws and seeks compensation potentially amounting to billions of dollars in damages.

The lawsuit underscores a growing tension between AI companies and content creators, as generative AI tools depend on large amounts of text data to function effectively. The Times contends that its content is uniquely valuable and was used without proper licensing agreements. The lawsuit could set a precedent for how intellectual property is managed in the AI era, particularly in defining the boundaries of “fair use” in training AI models.

In response to these challenges, OpenAI has been negotiating content licensing deals with other publishers, but the Times claims that such an agreement was never reached with them. The case highlights ongoing debates about the ethical and legal use of protected content to power emerging technologies like AI.