The Verge AI · 10/9/2026, 01:58:33
USA Today Sues OpenAI for Over $250 Million, Alleging Unauthorized Use of Hundreds of Thousands of Articles for AI Training
USA Today and its affiliated local newspapers have filed a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI, seeking damages exceeding $250 million. The plaintiffs allege that OpenAI unauthorizedly copied “hundreds of thousands” of articles to train its AI models, causing real and continuing harm to their outlets. This legal action follows similar suits by The New York Times, The Intercept, and a coalition of nearly 400 local newspapers, intensifying the copyright compliance crisis in the generative AI sector.
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Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
USA Today Co., along with the several local newspapers it owns, is suing OpenAI over claims that the company copied “hundreds of thousands” of articles to train its AI models, as reported earlier by Reuters. In a filing on Thursday, the publisher asks for damages of more than $250 million, alleging OpenAI’s unauthorized use of its content “has done real and continuing” harm to its outlets.
This is just the latest in a string of copyright lawsuits filed against OpenAI. In addition to a copyright lawsuit filed by The New York Times, OpenAI is also facing legal action from The Intercept, CNET owner Ziff Davis, CBC/Radio-Canada, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster, The Seattle Times, and a coalition of nearly 400 local newspapers.