Seattle Times and Newsday Sue OpenAI and Microsoft Over Unauthorized Use of Journalism to Train AI

The Seattle Times and Newsday are suing OpenAI and Microsoft for allegedly using their journalism without permission to train AI models, warning that generative AI risks destroying the very news organizations whose content it consumes — a striking legal battle made more complex by Microsoft's prior funding of Seattle Times journalism projects.

• The Seattle Times and Newsday are suing OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging their journalism was used without permission to train AI models.
• The lawsuit warns that generative AI acts like 'a snake eating its own tail,' potentially destroying the news organizations that produce the content it consumes.
• The case is especially notable because Microsoft and OpenAI had previously funded Seattle Times journalism projects, with Microsoft expressing surprise at the lawsuit but openness to finding a resolution.