{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/usa-today-sues-openai-and-microsoft-for-250m-over-copyrighted-journali","json":"https://digestai.news/story/usa-today-sues-openai-and-microsoft-for-250m-over-copyrighted-journali.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/usa-today-sues-openai-and-microsoft-for-250m-over-copyrighted-journali.md","slug":"usa-today-sues-openai-and-microsoft-for-250m-over-copyrighted-journali","headline":"USA Today sues OpenAI and Microsoft for $250M over copyrighted journalism in AI training","summary":"**USA Today Co. filed a lawsuit on October 8, 2026**, joining the New York Times and Chicago Tribune in suing OpenAI and Microsoft over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted articles in AI model training. The publisher demands over **$250 million** in damages, claiming the companies scraped content from 19 affiliated publications without permission. The case joins a multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving multiple publishers, where discovery disputes have forced OpenAI to produce **millions of ChatGPT logs and internal documents** under court orders.**\n\nOpenAI defends its practices under **fair use**, arguing its models create something transformative and do not compete directly with publishers. The US Department of Justice intervened in September 2026, backing OpenAI’s position and framing the issue as a matter of **national AI leadership**. Courts are now considering motions for summary judgment on fair use, which could resolve parts of the case without a full trial. The outcome could reshape how AI firms access copyrighted data, with implications for Microsoft’s exposure as a co-defendant.","keyPoints":["USA Today Co. sues OpenAI and Microsoft for $250M over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted articles in AI training","Discovery orders require OpenAI to hand over **millions of ChatGPT logs and internal documents** to publishers","US DOJ backs OpenAI’s fair use argument, framing the case as a matter of **national AI competitiveness**"],"whyItMatters":"A ruling against OpenAI could force AI firms to negotiate licenses for copyrighted training data, disrupting current model development practices. Microsoft’s co-defendant status adds financial stakes for investors.","category":{"slug":"policy","name":"Policy & Regulation","url":"https://digestai.news/category/policy"},"entities":{"companies":["OpenAI","Microsoft","USA Today Co.","The New York Times","The Chicago Tribune"],"models":[],"people":[]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-27T03:14:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-27T03:14:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"cryptobriefing.com","title":"OpenAI faces copyright lawsuits from major publications over AI training","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/openai-copyright-lawsuits-publishers-fair-use","publishedAt":"2026-10-27T03:14:00Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"USA Today sues OpenAI and Microsoft for $250M over copyrighted journalism in AI training\", 27 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/usa-today-sues-openai-and-microsoft-for-250m-over-copyrighted-journali","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"USA Today sues OpenAI and Microsoft for $250M over copyrighted journalism in AI training","datePublished":"2026-10-27T03:14:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/usa-today-sues-openai-and-microsoft-for-250m-over-copyrighted-journali"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}