Two U.S. news outlets sue OpenAI and Microsoft over AI training copyright infringement

Two U.S. news organizations, The Seattle Times and The News Journal, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft on Friday, September 4, 2026, alleging unauthorized use of their news content to train AI systems. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Plaintiffs claim OpenAI and Microsoft scraped content, including behind-the-paywall articles, into training datasets for models like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Bing’s AI search features. They argue AI systems reproduce text verbatim or generate highly similar rewritten content, reducing reader engagement with their websites or subscriptions. OpenAI declined to comment, while Microsoft expressed surprise but emphasized support for local journalism. Plaintiffs seek court orders to remove infringing content from training data and AI models. The lawsuit underscores growing concerns over AI training’s use of copyrighted material, with plaintiffs demanding accountability for potential harm to their business models. Microsoft’s spokesperson reiterated willingness to engage in dialogue, while OpenAI’s stance remains non-committal. The case could set a precedent for AI companies’ handling of intellectual property rights.