Who’s Suing AI and Who’s Signing: The New York Times Joins Forces with Amazon
News publishers are sharply divided over how to engage with AI companies. While some have launched lawsuits against AI firms for using their content without permission, others have opted to sign licensing deals that allow AI tools like ChatGPT to reference their content with proper attribution.
As of May 29, 2025, The New York Times has signed its first AI licensing deal—with Amazon—marking a notable shift in strategy.
Publishers Taking Legal Action Against AI Companies
- Ziff Davis vs OpenAI
- News/Media Alliance members vs Cohere
- Indian news publishers vs OpenAI
- Coalition of Canadian news outlets vs OpenAI
- News Corp vs Perplexity
- Mumsnet vs OpenAI
- The Center for Investigative Reporting vs OpenAI and Microsoft
- Eight Alden Global Capital newspapers vs OpenAI and Microsoft
- The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet vs OpenAI
- The New York Times vs OpenAI and Microsoft
- Getty Images vs Stability AI
Publishers and Organizations That Have Signed AI Licensing Deals
- The New York Times – Amazon
- The Washington Post – OpenAI
- Shutterstock – Synthesia
- News/Media Alliance – Prorata.ai
- Guardian – OpenAI
- Schibsted – OpenAI
- Agence France-Press – Mistral
- Associated Press – Google
- Axios – OpenAI
- Future – OpenAI
- The Independent, LA Times, Lee Enterprises and more – Perplexity
- DMG Media, Guardian, Sky News and Prospect – Prorata.ai
- Reuters – Meta
- Hearst – OpenAI
- FT, Reuters, Axel Springer, Hearst Mags, USA Today Network – Microsoft
- Conde Nast – OpenAI
- FT, Axel Springer, The Atlantic, Fortune – Prorata.ai
- Time, Der Spiegel, Fortune, Texas Tribune and more – Perplexity
- Time – OpenAI
- Vox Media – OpenAI
- The Atlantic – OpenAI
- News Corp – OpenAI
- Dotdash Meredith – OpenAI
- Informa – Microsoft
- Axel Springer – Microsoft
- Financial Times – OpenAI
- Le Monde and Prisa Media – OpenAI
- Axel Springer – OpenAI
- Associated Press – OpenAI
- Shutterstock – OpenAI
OpenAI reportedly offers news publishers between $1 million and $5 million annually to license their copyrighted content for AI training. News Corp’s deal stands out, reportedly valued at over $250 million across five years. Apple is also exploring similar agreements with publishers like Conde Nast and NBC News, though no public announcements have been made.
Some publishers remain cautious. For example, Reach’s CEO Jim Mullen advised against hasty licensing deals, urging the industry to develop a unified approach to protect the value of their content and avoid dependency on referral traffic.
Legal Battles Highlight Copyright Concerns
Ziff Davis vs OpenAI
In April 2025, Ziff Davis filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of repeatedly and knowingly using its copyrighted content without permission. Ziff Davis owns several prominent tech and entertainment brands including CNET, PCMag, and IGN. OpenAI responded by stating its models are trained on publicly available data and operate under fair use principles.
News/Media Alliance vs Cohere
In February 2025, members of the US News/Media Alliance sued Canadian AI startup Cohere for unauthorized use of thousands of articles. The complaint alleges Cohere scraped protected content, including paywalled material, and reproduced it verbatim or in misleading summaries. The lawsuit highlights concerns about copyright infringement and inaccurate AI-generated content harming publishers’ reputations.
Indian News Publishers vs OpenAI
Several Indian publishers, including The Indian Express and Hindustan Times, joined a lawsuit initiated by news agency ANI against OpenAI. They argue OpenAI’s unlicensed use of their content threatens intellectual property rights in India. OpenAI has challenged the court’s jurisdiction, citing its server locations outside India.
Canadian News Coalition vs OpenAI
Major Canadian outlets like CBC and the Toronto Star filed suit in late 2024, emphasizing the significant investment required for producing reliable journalism. They claim OpenAI profits from their content without permission or compensation, violating Canadian copyright laws.
News Corp vs Perplexity
News Corp subsidiaries, including The Wall Street Journal, sued AI company Perplexity in October 2024 for copyright and trademark infringement. The case seeks damages and removal of News Corp content from Perplexity’s services. Interestingly, News Corp also maintains a separate licensing agreement with OpenAI.
Mumsnet vs OpenAI
Mumsnet launched legal action in mid-2024 over OpenAI scraping its forum content, which includes over six billion words. Founder Justine Roberts highlighted the value of Mumsnet’s unique community content and the risks AI poses to publishers without fair compensation. OpenAI expressed a preference for datasets not readily available online.
The Center for Investigative Reporting vs OpenAI and Microsoft
Nonprofit news group CIR, which produces Reveal and Mother Jones, filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI and Microsoft of using its content without permission, calling the practice exploitative. CIR warns that unchecked AI usage threatens public access to quality, fact-checked journalism.
Eight Alden Global Capital Newspapers vs OpenAI and Microsoft
Eight newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital, including the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, sued OpenAI and Microsoft in April 2024. They demand recognition of content ownership and compensation, citing AI-generated misinformation and “hallucinations” that damage their credibility.
The Intercept, Raw Story and AlterNet vs OpenAI
Three progressive digital news outlets filed lawsuits in February 2024, accusing OpenAI of training ChatGPT on their copyrighted journalism without licenses. They emphasize the need to protect journalists’ work from unauthorized commercial use.
The New York Times vs OpenAI and Microsoft
In December 2023, The New York Times took legal action after nine months of unsuccessful negotiations. The lawsuit seeks damages and the destruction of AI models trained on its content. The Times argues that AI chatbots divert readers, threatening subscription and advertising revenues critical to sustaining quality journalism.
OpenAI responded by denying typical users can extract Times content verbatim and accused the Times of exploiting a bug to produce the lawsuit’s evidence.
Getty Images vs Stability AI
Getty Images initiated legal proceedings in early 2023 against Stability AI for copying millions of copyrighted images without a license. This case underscores similar copyright challenges faced by AI in the visual content space.
What This Means for Communications and Product Development Professionals
For PR, communications, and product teams, these legal battles and deals signal a crucial moment. How publishers and AI companies negotiate content use will shape the tools and data sources available for AI-powered products and services.
Understanding the evolving legal landscape helps in crafting responsible AI strategies that respect copyright while leveraging AI capabilities. For those developing AI-driven content tools, keeping abreast of licensing agreements and litigation outcomes is essential to avoid costly disputes.
To stay informed and build AI skills aligned with industry developments, consider exploring specialized courses at Complete AI Training.
Ongoing Updates
This situation is fluid. New licensing agreements and lawsuits continue to emerge as publishers and AI companies negotiate the future of content use and compensation. Staying updated on these developments is vital for professionals working at the intersection of media, technology, and AI.
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