OpenAI staff knew the ‘existential threat’ AI posed to publishers, New York Times claims

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   Court Filings Claim OpenAI and Microsoft Knew AI Posed Existential Threat to Publishers

   Court documents from a lawsuit led by The New York Times reveal that OpenAI and Microsoft executives recognized their AI products as substitutes for journalism that could devastate news outlets. Unredacted filings include a statement from a Microsoft executive describing the scraping of publisher material as "the largest theft of labor in human history." While publishers argue AI firms must pay for content, OpenAI and Microsoft have successfully fended off portions of a separate lawsuit brought by software developers regarding AI training data.

   Why it matters

   This legal battle centers on whether training AI on copyrighted material constitutes infringement or fair use. The outcome will determine if AI companies owe billions in licensing fees to content creators. It follows a broader trend of publishers seeking compensation for data used to build large language models.

   What is confirmed

   • A Microsoft executive described the scraping of publishers' material as "the largest theft of labor in human history."
   • Internal documents and depositions show AI executives viewed their products as substitutes for journalism that could devastate news outlets.
   • The New York Times is leading a group of news publishers in a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI.
   • OpenAI and Microsoft successfully defended against part of a lawsuit filed by software developers over AI training.

   What to watch next

   • Court rulings on whether AI training constitutes copyright infringement
   • Potential licensing agreements between AI firms and news publishers
   • Further unredacted depositions from OpenAI and Microsoft executives
   Sources used for this update (11)

   1. Financial Times — OpenAI staff knew the ‘existential threat’ AI posed to publishers, New York Times claims
   2. TechCrunch — Microsoft exec called AI scraping ‘the largest theft of labor in human history,' new unredacted filings reveal
   3. Electronic Frontier Foundation — Victory! Appeals Court Rejects Expansive New Copyright Claim
   4. Reuters — OpenAI, Microsoft fend off part of software developer lawsuit over AI training
   5. CNET — Publishers Argue AI Firms Should Pay for Content as Copyright Case Advances
   6. www.theinformation.com — AI Executives Fret About Existential Threat AI Poses—to Publishers
   7. www.yahoo.com — OpenAI and Microsoft knew AI posed existential threat to publishers
   8. www.afr.com — Anthropic joins OpenAI in government copyright stand-off
   9. videoweek.com — Week in Review: UK Lords Propose Gambling Ad Ban, NYT Claims OpenAI Execs Knew of AI’s Harm to Publishers, and Channel 4 Sales to Represent Channel 5
   10. www.cnet.com — AI Firms Knew Chatbots Were an ‘Existential Threat’ to Journalists, Court Docs Show
   11. www.seroundtable.com — Daily Search Forum Recap: September 18, 2026
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