The Chicago Tribune Sues Perplexity for Copyright Infringement
The Chicago Tribune has initiated a lawsuit against the AI search engine Perplexity, claiming copyright infringement, as reported by TechCrunch. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in New York on Thursday.
Details of the Allegations
The Tribune asserts that its legal team reached out to Perplexity in mid-October to inquire whether the AI search engine was utilizing its content. According to the complaint, Perplexity’s lawyers responded, indicating that the company did not use the Tribune’s works for training its models. However, they noted that Perplexity might provide “non-verbatim factual summaries” derived from the Tribune’s articles.
In contrast, the Tribune’s legal representatives contend that Perplexity is delivering its content verbatim rather than summarizing it as claimed.
Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) at the Center of the Dispute
A key element in the lawsuit revolves around Perplexity’s use of a method known as Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). This technique aims to reduce inaccuracies, or “hallucinations,” by ensuring that the model relies solely on verified and accurate data sources. The Tribune alleges that Perplexity is improperly integrating its content into its RAG systems without permission.
Moreover, the lawsuit claims that Perplexity’s Comet browser circumvents the Tribune’s paywall, enabling it to deliver detailed article summaries that the paper believes infringe on its copyrights.
A Broader Context of Legal Action
Interestingly, the Chicago Tribune is not alone in this battle. It is one of 17 news organizations from MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing that filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft in April over the unauthorized use of their material for model training. That case remains ongoing, with additional legal actions having been initiated by other news entities against model creators in recent months.
As the legal landscape involving AI-generated content continues to evolve, it is anticipated that courts will have to address the implications of RAG and similar methodologies.
Currently, Perplexity has not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit, which underscores the growing concern over the potential misuse of copyrighted material by AI technologies. Other companies, such as Reddit and Dow Jones, have also initiated lawsuits against similar practices, reflecting the tense atmosphere between traditional media and emerging AI platforms.
Given the escalating number of lawsuits and the complexities surrounding copyright issues in the digital age, future decisions by the courts will likely have significant ramifications for both publishers and tech companies alike.
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Image Credit: techcrunch.com
