The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement related to their use of CIR’s content in training AI models without permission or compensation.
Key details of the lawsuit: The CIR claims that OpenAI and Microsoft have copied, used, and displayed CIR’s journalistic content without authorization, and that OpenAI trained ChatGPT to disregard copyright:
- The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York, with the CIR seeking damages and profits from the defendants.
- CIR’s CEO accused OpenAI and Microsoft of “free rider behavior,” using their stories to enhance AI products without asking for permission or offering compensation.
- The plaintiffs allege that the defendants had a choice to respect works of journalism but chose not to.
Growing tensions between news industry and AI companies: The CIR’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal actions taken by news organizations against OpenAI and Microsoft over the use of their content in AI training:
- The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and other publications have recently filed similar suits, alleging intellectual property violations and seeking substantial damages.
- With the news industry facing challenges in maintaining sufficient revenue, many publications are aggressively trying to protect their businesses as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent.
Collaborations between OpenAI and some news organizations: While some news companies are taking legal action, others are partnering with OpenAI to leverage their content in AI products:
- Time magazine and OpenAI announced a multi-year content deal, allowing OpenAI to access and display Time’s current and archived articles within ChatGPT.
- News Corp. and Reddit have also announced partnerships with OpenAI, granting access to their content for AI training and product enhancement.
Analyzing the implications: The CIR’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft highlights the growing tension between the news industry and AI companies over the use of journalistic content in training AI models. As more publications take legal action to protect their intellectual property, the outcome of these cases could have significant implications for the future of AI development and its relationship with the media industry. While some news organizations are collaborating with OpenAI, the lawsuits underscore the need for clear guidelines and agreements regarding the use of copyrighted content in AI training to ensure fair compensation and respect for journalism.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...