Encyclopedia Britannica Sues OpenAI Over Use of Reference Materials in AI Training

Encyclopedia Britannica and its Merriam-Webster subsidiary have sued OpenAI in Manhattan federal court, alleging unauthorized use of nearly 100,000 articles to train AI models like ChatGPT. The lawsuit claims OpenAI's AI-generated summaries replicate Britannica's content closely, diverting web traffic and infringing trademarks by implying permission to use the material. OpenAI and Microsoft have not commented. This case is among several copyright lawsuits against AI companies, which argue their use constitutes fair use. Britannica seeks monetary damages and an injunction.