THE CASE JOINS A GROWING WAVE OF COPYRIGHT DISPUTES AS MEDIA COMPANIES PUSH BACK AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED AI TRAINING PRACTICES
The New York Times has filed a lawsuit accusing an AI start-up of using its copyrighted content without permission to train machine-learning models.
The New York Times announced Tuesday that it has filed a federal lawsuit against an artificial-intelligence start-up, alleging that the company violated copyright law by using Times content to train its AI models without authorization. The lawsuit marks the newspaper’s most direct legal challenge to the rapidly expanding AI industry.
According to the complaint, the Times argues that its journalism — including articles, headlines, investigations and digital archives — was scraped or replicated by the start-up in a manner that infringes on its intellectual-property rights. The company contends that such use undermines its business model and threatens the value of original reporting.
The Times is seeking financial damages and a court order preventing the start-up from using or reproducing its copyrighted content. The lawsuit also requests the destruction of any data sets containing Times materials if they were obtained unlawfully.
Legal experts say the case reflects a broader tension between news organizations and AI developers over how copyrighted material is used to train machine-learning systems. Several media outlets worldwide are considering similar actions as they push for licensing agreements and regulatory clarity.
The AI company at the center of the suit has not yet issued a public response. Industry observers note that the case could set important precedents for the future of AI training practices, especially as content creators look for stronger protections in the era of generative technology.
The lawsuit is expected to move into the discovery phase later this year, drawing intense attention from both the tech and media industries.
