New York Times Files High-Stakes Lawsuit Against Perplexity AI Over Content Scraping

The New York Times has launched a major lawsuit against artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI. The legal action was filed on December 5, 2025, in a federal court in New York. The newspaper accuses the AI company of illegally copying and using its journalistic content.This lawsuit represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between publishers and tech firms. According to Reuters, the Times claims Perplexity used millions of its articles without permission. The content was allegedly used to train and power Perplexity’s generative AI products.

Core Allegations and Immediate Fallout

The core of the lawsuit centers on accusations of mass copyright infringement. The New York Times alleges Perplexity’s tools relied on scraped content, including material behind paywalls. The suit also claims the AI generated false information presented as Times reporting.A spokesperson for the Times stated the company supports ethical AI development. However, they strongly object to the unlicensed use of their journalism. The lawsuit seeks substantial monetary damages and a court order to stop the alleged practices.Perplexity has firmly dismissed the complaints. The company’s head of communications argued publishers often resist new technologies. Perplexity maintains it does not scrape data but instead indexes webpages to provide factual citations.

Broader Industry Impact and Legal Precedent

This case is part of a much larger legal trend. The Chicago Tribune filed a similar suit against Perplexity just one day earlier. Other publishers, including the New York Post and Dow Jones, have also taken legal action.The outcome could set a critical precedent for AI development. It questions how AI companies gather training data from the public web. Many publishers feel their investments in original reporting are being unfairly exploited.For the media industry, the stakes are incredibly high. A ruling in favor of the Times could force AI firms to negotiate licenses. It might also establish clearer rules for using copyrighted material in the AI age. Conversely, a win for Perplexity could reshape publisher business models.

Selena Gomez Shares First Married Christmas with Benny Blanco in Heartfelt Holiday Post

This lawsuit is a landmark moment for AI and intellectual property law. The New York Times lawsuit against Perplexity AI will test the boundaries of copyright in the digital era. The final ruling will influence how news is consumed and created for years to come.

Info at your fingertips

What exactly is Perplexity AI accused of doing?

The New York Times alleges Perplexity copied millions of its articles without permission. This content, including paywalled stories, was used to train the company’s AI models. The suit also claims the AI fabricated information and falsely attributed it to the Times.

How has Perplexity AI responded to the lawsuit?

Perplexity has dismissed the lawsuit as a typical reaction to new technology. The company denies scraping data to build its core models. It states its systems merely index webpages to provide accurate, cited answers to user queries.

Are other publishers suing Perplexity AI?

Yes, several other news organizations have filed similar lawsuits. The Chicago Tribune sued Perplexity just one day before the Times. Other plaintiffs include Dow Jones, the New York Post, and Encyclopedia Britannica.

Why is this lawsuit so important for the news industry?

The case challenges how AI companies use copyrighted journalistic work. A win for the Times could force AI firms to pay for licensed content. It seeks to protect the financial viability of original news reporting in the age of AI.

What is the Times also disputing with OpenAI?

The New York Times is engaged in a separate, ongoing legal dispute with OpenAI. That case similarly involves allegations of copyright infringement related to the use of Times content to train ChatGPT and other AI models.