Recently, a large coalition of nearly 400 local newspaper publishers filed a lawsuit in federal court against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the two tech companies of systematically copying their original reporting without permission or compensation to train and develop commercial AI products, including ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot. The lawsuit is represented by the law firm Platkin LLP, which was founded this year by Matthew J. Platkin, a former New Jersey attorney general. Publishers believe that OpenAI and Microsoft have used their original news content without authorization, violating the Copyright Act and threatening the future of local journalism.

The lawsuit also accuses OpenAI of intentionally removing copyright management information from publishers' works, including author attributions, copyright notices, and terms, which violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The complaint cites statements by OpenAI founder Sam Altman, who testified before the UK House of Lords that, without using copyrighted materials, today's leading AI models would be "unable to train."

Platkin said, "Local newspapers are the lifeline of the communities they serve and one of the most trusted institutions in the United States. This lawsuit aims to ensure that these local publishers, who create original content, have effective protection in the age of artificial intelligence." Although major national news organizations and well-known authors have previously filed similar lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft, this case marks the largest coordinated legal action by local and regional newspapers against the two companies over the use of copyrighted reporting.

Publishers point out that local newspapers operate with limited budgets and employ reporters to cover municipal meetings, schools, courts, and public safety. At the same time, they believe that OpenAI has generated considerable revenue and shareholder value through reports written by others. Platkin emphasized, "AI systems cannot conduct in-depth assessments of city council and community meetings, investigate local crime and corruption, publish obituaries, or report on the opening of new restaurants in the downtown area. Local journalists do this. This lawsuit is not intended to stop AI innovation, but to ensure that such innovation is conducted fairly within the law."

As local news organizations face increasing economic pressure, publishers believe that allowing tech companies to monetize original reporting without permission or payment will further weaken local news and the communities that rely on it. Publishers emphasize that OpenAI has used original reporting produced by local newspapers for decades without compensation, and the lawsuit aims to hold the company accountable for its ongoing violations of federal copyright law.