USA Today Co. has filed a $250 million lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the AI company used copyrighted content from its 19 publications without permission to train its large language models. The lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, names the Louisville Courier Journal among the plaintiffs.
TL;DR
- USA Today Co. sues OpenAI for $250M, alleging copyright infringement of 19 publications.
- The lawsuit claims OpenAI used copyrighted content without permission to train its AI models.
- USA Today Co. seeks damages, destruction of models using its content, and a permanent injunction.
What happened
USA Today Co., the parent company of USA Today and 18 other publications, including the Louisville Courier Journal, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in New York federal court on October 9, 2026. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI used copyrighted content from these publications to train its large language models without permission. USA Today Co. is seeking $250 million in damages for the alleged infringement.
The lawsuit claims that OpenAI's models were trained on the plaintiffs' copyrighted material 'without regard for the rights of publishers and authors.' It also alleges that USA Today's publications showed up in over 122 million tokens as of a 2019 snapshot of the Common Crawl, with the Courier Journal's website originating 3.1 million tokens alone. The lawsuit includes a specific example of a ChatGPT response that mirrors and reproduces the content of an original Courier Journal article.
In addition to monetary damages, the lawsuit requests the destruction of all large language models and training sets that incorporate USA Today content, and a permanent injunction to bar OpenAI from using their articles in the future. The lawsuit also cites recently unredacted documents in the New York Times lawsuit, including a Microsoft executive describing OpenAI's unauthorized use of copyrighted content as 'an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions.'
Why it matters
This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tension between AI companies and news publishers over the use of copyrighted content to train AI models. If successful, this lawsuit could set a precedent for other news organizations seeking to protect their intellectual property. It could also impact the way AI companies source and use data for training their models.
For developers and startups, this lawsuit serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting copyright laws and obtaining proper permissions when using third-party content. It also highlights the potential legal risks associated with using copyrighted material without authorization. For investors, this lawsuit underscores the need for due diligence when investing in AI companies, particularly with regard to their data sourcing and usage practices.
However, the outcome of this lawsuit is uncertain, and it may take time for the legal issues to be fully resolved. In the meantime, AI companies and news publishers may continue to engage in legal battles over the use of copyrighted content. This lawsuit also raises questions about the broader implications of AI on the news industry, including the potential for AI to substitute for human journalism.
Key facts
- USA Today Co. filed a $250 million lawsuit against OpenAI on October 9, 2026.
- The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI used copyrighted content from 19 USA Today Co. publications without permission to train its AI models.
- The Louisville Courier Journal is a named plaintiff in the lawsuit.
- USA Today's publications showed up in over 122 million tokens as of a 2019 snapshot of the Common Crawl, with the Courier Journal's website originating 3.1 million tokens alone.
- The lawsuit includes a specific example of a ChatGPT response that mirrors and reproduces the content of an original Courier Journal article.
- USA Today Co. is seeking damages, destruction of models using its content, and a permanent injunction to bar OpenAI from using their articles in the future.
- The lawsuit cites recently unredacted documents in the New York Times lawsuit, including a Microsoft executive describing OpenAI's unauthorized use of copyrighted content as 'an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions.'
- OpenAI has been sued for copyright infringement by several other news organizations in recent years, including the New York Times and eight newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital Group.
Context
This lawsuit is part of a broader trend of legal action against AI companies by news publishers. In recent years, the New York Times, eight newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital Group, and other news organizations have sued OpenAI for alleged copyright infringement. These lawsuits highlight the ongoing debate over the use of copyrighted content to train AI models and the potential impact of AI on the news industry.
The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for both AI companies and news publishers. If successful, it could set a precedent for other news organizations seeking to protect their intellectual property. It could also impact the way AI companies source and use data for training their models. However, the legal issues involved are complex, and the outcome of this lawsuit is uncertain.
In the meantime, AI companies and news publishers may continue to engage in legal battles over the use of copyrighted content. This lawsuit also raises questions about the broader implications of AI on the news industry, including the potential for AI to substitute for human journalism. As the use of AI continues to grow, these issues are likely to become increasingly important for developers, startups, and investors in the AI industry.
