News Outlets Turn on AI Backers: Seattle Times, Newsday Sue OpenAI and Microsoft
Key takeaways
- Seattle Times and Newsday sue OpenAI and Microsoft for unauthorized use of journalism in AI training.
- Microsoft previously funded Seattle Times journalism projects, adding conflict-of-interest dimension to dispute.
- Lawsuits join The New York Times's 2023 copyright case and reflect industry-wide challenge to AI training practices.
The Seattle Times and Newsday filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft this week, accusing the tech companies of unlawfully using their published articles to train generative AI models. Both news organizations argue that AI systems like ChatGPT and Copilot function as "rapacious consumers" that copy and repackage human journalism for commercial gain, threatening the financial viability of news production itself. The lawsuits follow The New York Times's 2023 copyright case against the same defendants and reflect growing tension between media companies and AI builders over training data. Microsoft and OpenAI previously funded journalism projects at The Seattle Times, adding irony to the dispute. A Microsoft spokesperson expressed surprise at the lawsuit but said the company remains open to negotiation.
The bigger picture
The Seattle Times case carries symbolic weight because it exposes the awkward relationship between traditional media and AI companies that once courted them with grants and fellowships. As newsrooms face shrinking ad revenue, some viewed AI partnerships as modernization; others now see them as Trojan horses. Regulators and courts will face pressure to clarify whether training on published text without licensing constitutes fair use or infringement, a question with ripple effects across publishing, music, and software industries.
We're tracking these lawsuits closely because they'll reshape how AI models are built and funded going forward. The stakes extend beyond journalism—this fight signals broader questions about data rights that affect every creator and platform. We wanted to flag the Seattle Times angle specifically: when funders become defendants, the relationship gets complicated fast.
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