Two major publishers, The Seattle Times and Newsday, have filed suit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement over training AI models on their articles amid a broader push by publishers to curb AI training practices.

The core question centers on whether using copyrighted text to generate new AI content is sufficiently transformative and non-competitive with original journalism to be fair use.

Key executives’ remarks frame the dispute: OpenAI’s Greg Brockman calls LLMs predictive with news content, while Microsoft’s Satya Nadella says chatbots can substitute for accessing publisher sites.

The case sits in a market context where the U.S. accounts for a little over half of net sales for the involved parties, underscoring the domestic market's prominence.

A summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs could avoid a full trial, though a decision is expected no earlier than 2027.

The plaintiffs describe a large-scale operation, noting the companies’ substantial global workforce and resources.

Industry observers note publishers have added citation links, but there is skepticism about their effectiveness in sustaining traffic, with concerns that users may not click links even when shown.

There is broad concern that licensing costs for training data could threaten the viability and growth of AI-powered apps and markets.

Media inquiries are being handled through Platkin LLP, with contact information available on their site.

The report is attributed to Elliot Weld and dated September 8, 2026, providing the published timeline for the story.

Publishers argue that admissions within the case could undermine fair-use defenses by showing awareness of potential harms to journalism.

Publishers warn that AI-driven content distribution threatens newsroom economics by distributing information at scale without subscriptions or site visits.