Technology: In a bold move highlighting the ongoing clash between technology and traditional media, Dow Jones & Co. and NYP Holdings have filed a lawsuit against emerging AI search engine Perplexity. The legal action, initiated by the publishers of The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, falls under the corporate umbrella of News Corporation.
The lawsuit claims that Perplexity has illegally retained their copyrighted material without compensation, alleging infringement of copyright and trademark protections. News Corp. accuses the AI company of unethically using the hard work of its journalists, enriching their model training datasets at the expense of publishers.
News Corp CEO Robert Thomson has suggested that this could be the first in a series of lawsuits filed against AI developers aimed at violating news organizations’ intellectual property rights. He expressed concern about the future integrity of journalism as AI technology continues to evolve.
While publishers do not oppose sharing their content for AI training, they emphasize the importance of fair compensation, citing a previous lucrative settlement with OpenAI. Despite attempts to contact Perplexity for a settlement, the company has reportedly not responded.
The lawsuit seeks significant damages, with Perplexity potentially facing up to $150,000 for each proven violation. Legal challenges like these could set important precedents as the line between AI innovation and intellectual property rights continues to blur.
