Friday 9 October 2026
Morning EditionRSS
ZOTPAPER

News without the noise

ZOTPAPER
AI

USA Today sues OpenAI for $250M over alleged copyright infringement in AI training

Publisher claims 'hundreds of thousands' of articles were copied without permission

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
USA Today Co. and its network of local newspapers filed a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI on Thursday, seeking more than $250 million in damages and alleging the company copied 'hundreds of thousands' of articles without permission to train its AI models.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims OpenAI's unauthorized use of content from USA Today and its affiliated local outlets has "done real and continuing" harm to the publisher's business. The filing argues that OpenAI copied protected works at scale to develop and improve its ChatGPT and other AI systems, depriving the publisher of licensing revenue and devaluing its journalism.

This is the latest in a growing string of copyright lawsuits against OpenAI. Other media companies that have sued include The New York Times, The Intercept, Ziff Davis (owner of CNET and PCMag), CBC/Radio-Canada, and Encyclopaedia Britannica. All allege that OpenAI used their content without authorization or compensation to train its large language models.

The legal action adds to the mounting pressure on AI companies over the provenance of training data. OpenAI has not yet commented on this specific lawsuit. The company has previously maintained that using publicly available data for training constitutes fair use under copyright law, though it has also entered into licensing agreements with several publishers, including The Associated Press and Axel Springer. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how AI companies must treat copyrighted material.

§

Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The lawsuit could affect how AI companies access and use news content for training, with implications for the entire publishing industry.
  • A ruling against OpenAI could force the company to pay substantial damages or negotiate licensing deals with thousands of publishers.
  • This is part of a broader wave of legal challenges that may determine the legal boundaries of AI training on copyrighted material.

Background

AI companies have faced growing legal scrutiny over their training data practices. OpenAI and others have argued that using publicly available text, including news articles, is protected under the fair use doctrine. However, many publishers argue that this amounts to mass copyright infringement that undermines their business models. Several high-profile lawsuits are working their way through the courts, with no major rulings yet.

Key Perspectives

USA Today Co. and its local newspapers: They argue that OpenAI copied their work on a massive scale without permission, causing economic harm and devaluing their intellectual property. OpenAI: The company has not commented on this suit. It has historically defended its training methods as fair use and has signed licensing deals with some publishers, suggesting it sees value in voluntary agreements. Other publishers and observers: Media companies are watching closely. A victory for USA Today could spur more lawsuits and push AI companies toward licensing, while a defeat could validate the fair use argument and reduce publishers' leverage.

What to Watch

  • Whether OpenAI responds with a motion to dismiss or a settlement offer in the coming weeks.
  • Other pending copyright lawsuits against OpenAI, particularly the New York Times case, which is further along and could set a precedent.
  • Potential legislation in the US and other countries that would clarify rules for AI training on copyrighted works.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

How we workReport an errorSubscribe