USA Today becomes the latest publisher to sue OpenAI
USA Today becomes the latest publisher to sue OpenAI
USA Today, along with several of its affiliated local newspapers, sued OpenAI, demanding compensation exceeding 250 million dollars. The lawsuit alleges that the company used its 'hundreds of thousands of articles' without authorization to train AI models, harming the interests of its publications. The lawsuit claims that OpenAI's commercial success 'is built on large-scale copyright infringement.'
The publisher is seeking damages of more than $250 million.
The publisher is seeking damages of more than $250 million.
by Emma Roth
Oct 8, 2026, 5:58 PM UTC
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
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.
“OpenAI’s commercial success rests on large-scale copyright infringement,” USA Today Co.’s lawsuit claims. It alleges that OpenAI never asked for permission to use its content, instead “took” USA Today’s content to “build products worth hundreds of billions of dollars.” The Tennessean, Indy Star, The Columbus Dispatch, The Oklahoman, and several other local outlets are also included in the lawsuit.
OpenAI didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
- Emma Roth
Source: The Verge · AI · theverge.com