Canadian News Publishers Sue OpenAI Over Copyright Infringement

Five prominent Canadian news organizations have taken legal action against OpenAI, accusing the tech giant of copyright violations. The lawsuit, filed in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice, involves Torstar Corp., Postmedia Network Canada Corp., Globe and Mail Inc., the Canadian Press, and CBC/Radio-Canada. They claim OpenAI used their content without consent to train AI systems like ChatGPT and are seeking damages to be decided at trial.

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In a joint statement, the publishers accused OpenAI of profiting from their work unlawfully. "OpenAI is benefiting financially from our content without permission or compensation," they stated, emphasizing that their organizations generate the majority of Canada’s journalistic content.

OpenAI, valued at $157 billion, defended its practices, saying its AI models rely on publicly available data and comply with fair use principles and international copyright standards. The company also mentioned working with publishers to address content usage, attribution, and opt-out options.

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The lawsuit follows similar actions against OpenAI, including a case by The New York Times last year. That case alleged the unauthorized use of millions of articles to train OpenAI’s systems, raising broader concerns about how AI companies handle copyrighted material.

Paul Deegan, president of News Media Canada, which represents the plaintiffs, criticized OpenAI's approach. “This is strip-mining journalism for profit, with no regard for fairness or legality,” Deegan said, urging accountability for how journalistic content is used.

The case shines a spotlight on the growing tension between AI development and content creators. As AI tools become increasingly advanced, questions around copyright and ethical content usage are becoming harder to ignore.

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