CNN sues Perplexity AI over copyright infringement
What's the story
CNN has sued artificial intelligence firm Perplexity for allegedly stealing and distributing its content without permission. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, marks CNN's first legal action against an AI company over copyright issues. It is also believed to be the first such case by any television network.
Legal perspective
CNN's position on AI
A CNN spokesperson said, "CNN's lawsuit stands for the proposition that Perplexity, a company valued at tens of billions of dollars, should not be able to steal from entities that create the original content Perplexity exploits." They stressed the importance of high-quality news journalism produced by humans for public understanding. The network also clarified its position on AI, saying it "actively embraces the opportunities AI creates" and has several commercial partnerships with industry players.
AI defense
Response to the lawsuit and history of similar cases
Perplexity's Chief Communications Officer Jesse Dwyer responded to the lawsuit by saying, "You can't copyright facts." The company has faced similar lawsuits from other publishers in the past two years. These include News Corp, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Encyclopedia Britannica and Japanese media company Yomiuri Shimbun. However, some publishers such as Gannett, TIME, Le Monde and Der Spiegel have struck deals with Perplexity during this time.
Negotiation breakdown
Content deal attempts between the 2 parties
The lawsuit reveals that CNN had tried to strike a content deal with Perplexity last year, but the two parties could not agree on terms. "As a result, before and after Perplexity's negotiations with CNN, Perplexity knew that it was not permitted to access CNN's content or to use its trademarks or service marks," the lawsuit states.