USA Today Co. and its affiliated local newspapers have sued OpenAI, alleging that it used “hundreds of thousands” of articles to train AI models without permission, while seeking more than $250 million in damages.
This case is one of several copyright disputes OpenAI is facing, including lawsuits from The New York Times, The Intercept, CNET, and nearly 400 local news outlets.
What does the USA Today lawsuit accuse OpenAI of doing?
USA Today Co. and its affiliated local newspapers accuse OpenAI of using a large number of articles to train AI models without permission.
The lawsuit states that this use of the content has caused the news organizations “actual and ongoing” harm. It also alleges that OpenAI used the content to create commercial products without obtaining rights from the copyright holders.
Key figures that make this case worth watching
The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI used “hundreds of thousands of articles” to train AI models, and USA Today Co. is seeking more than $250 million in damages.
In addition to USA Today, The Tennessean, Indy Star, The Columbus Dispatch, and The Oklahoman are also included in the case. Other copyright lawsuits OpenAI is facing include those brought by The New York Times, CNET owner Ziff Davis, CBC/Radio-Canada, and nearly 400 local news outlets.
Where does USA Today fit into OpenAI’s wave of copyright lawsuits?
The Verge reported that the USA Today lawsuit is the latest in a series of copyright cases filed against OpenAI, reflecting how the use of content to train AI is being challenged from multiple sides.
The list of plaintiffs also includes The New York Times, The Intercept, Ziff Davis, CBC/Radio-Canada, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster, and The Seattle Times, as well as a group of nearly 400 local newspapers.
What does this allegation reveal about the conflict between news organizations and AI companies?
The lawsuit argues that OpenAI used a large amount of news content without permission and then used it to create highly valuable products. USA Today Co. says that this type of use has caused actual and ongoing harm.
At the heart of the conflict is the right to use news content to train AI. News organizations view their content as having been used to create business value without permission. However, the source has not yet concluded what legal impact these allegations may have.
What do the various lawsuits mentioned in the news have in common, and how do they differ?
| Plaintiff | Description given in the news | Case format |
|---|---|---|
| USA Today Co. and several local newspapers | A group of news organizations and newspapers | A case including The Tennessean, Indy Star, The Columbus Dispatch, and The Oklahoman |
| The New York Times | News organization | Identified in the news as a copyright case |
| The Intercept | News organization | Identified in the news as a copyright case |
| Ziff Davis | Owner of CNET | Identified in the news as a copyright case |
| CBC/Radio-Canada | Media organization | Identified in the news as a copyright case |
| Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster | Reference-content organizations | Identified in the news as a copyright case |
| The Seattle Times | News organization | Identified in the news as a copyright case |
| Nearly 400 local newspapers | Group of newspapers | Class-action case |
They are similar in that they are all cases OpenAI is facing. They differ in that the plaintiffs include news organizations, media owners, content organizations, and groups of newspapers.
Pros
- +Specifies damages of more than $250 million
- +Names the parties involved and includes wording from the lawsuit
Cons
- −OpenAI has not yet responded to The Verge’s request for comment
- −The news report contains no details of the defendant’s response
What does $250 million in damages tell us—and what does it not tell us?
The figure of more than $250 million is the amount of damages USA Today Co. is seeking in the lawsuit, claiming that the unauthorized use of the content has caused ongoing harm to the news organization.
However, this figure is not the amount a court has ordered anyone to pay, and the news report does not state how the case will end. It therefore indicates only the scale of the claim in this case, not the final outcome.
Who should pay particular attention to this case?
People who follow AI policy should watch this case because it concerns the use of articles to train AI models, with USA Today Co. claiming that permission was not obtained from the content owners.
News organizations and local media owners also have reason to follow the case, since it includes The Tennessean, Indy Star, and The Columbus Dispatch. Meanwhile, people interested in copyright disputes should consider this case alongside lawsuits filed against OpenAI by The New York Times, CNET owner Ziff Davis, and other media organizations.
How might this case proceed?
The key point to watch now is OpenAI’s response. The Verge reported that OpenAI had not yet responded to a request for comment on the case. USA Today Co. is seeking more than $250 million in damages and alleges that articles were used without permission.
The direction of the case will become more interesting when viewed alongside the other copyright lawsuits OpenAI is facing, including those from The New York Times, The Intercept, Ziff Davis, CBC/Radio-Canada, and a group of nearly 400 local newspapers. The key questions are how OpenAI will respond to the allegations and what direction these cases will take next.