The New York Times and four other publishers have filed a motion for sanctions against OpenAI, accusing the company of concealing its ability to search training datasets and output logs for over two years. The plaintiffs allege OpenAI violated court orders by deleting logs and making false claims.
TL;DR
- The New York Times and four other publishers have filed a motion for sanctions against OpenAI, accusing the company of concealing its ability to search training datasets and output logs for over two years.
- The plaintiffs allege OpenAI violated court orders by deleting logs and making false claims, seeking attorneys' fees and other punishments.
- The Times has spent over $28 million on litigation costs against AI companies, with $4.2 million spent in the first quarter of 2026.
What happened
The New York Times, the Daily News, the Center for Investigative Reporting, the Intercept, and Ziff Davis filed a 52-page motion in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.
The motion accuses OpenAI of concealing its ability to search training datasets and output logs for over two years, despite initial claims that it couldn't access that data.
The plaintiffs allege that OpenAI deleted logs, violating court preservation orders, and made false claims about the feasibility and invasiveness of searching ChatGPT outputs.
Why it matters
This case highlights the ongoing tension between news publishers and AI companies over copyright infringement and the use of published content in training datasets.
The outcome could set a precedent for how AI companies handle data transparency and legal obligations, impacting both developers and investors in the AI industry.
The significant litigation costs incurred by the Times underscore the financial stakes for publishers seeking to protect their intellectual property.
Key facts
- The motion was filed by the New York Times, the Daily News, the Center for Investigative Reporting, the Intercept, and Ziff Davis.
- OpenAI is accused of concealing its ability to search training datasets and output logs for over two years.
- The plaintiffs allege OpenAI deleted logs, violating court preservation orders.
- The Times has spent over $28 million on litigation costs against AI companies, with $4.2 million spent in the first quarter of 2026.
- The Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft in 2023, and the Daily News, Center for Investigative Reporting, and Ziff Davis filed separate suits in 2024.
- The Times struck a content-licensing deal with Amazon for 'AI-related uses' last year.
- The Times is also developing its own use cases for AI technology within its newsroom.
Context
Many news outlets are trying to balance protecting their work with partnering with AI companies for licensing opportunities as AI chatbots and summaries impact digital traffic and advertising dollars.
The Times has also sued AI company Perplexity for similar alleged infringement, demonstrating the broader industry concerns over AI's use of copyrighted material.
