Judge Allows New York Times Copyright Lawsuit Against OpenAI to Proceed

A federal judge dismissed some claims but upheld the majority, paving the way for a potential jury trial over AI training practices.

The New York Times filed the lawsuit in December 2023, accusing OpenAI and Microsoft of using its copyrighted content without permission to train AI models.
U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein ruled on March 26, 2025, that the case could move forward, rejecting a motion to dismiss while dismissing some claims.
The Times is seeking billions of dollars in damages and the destruction of AI models and training data that incorporated its content.
OpenAI defends its practices as fair use, arguing that using publicly available data is essential for innovation and U.S. competitiveness in AI development.
The case highlights broader tensions between media organizations and AI companies, with some publishers opting for licensing agreements while others pursue legal action.