In an unprecedented move, Canada’s major news organizations, including the Toronto Star, Metroland Media, Postmedia, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press, and CBC, have collectively filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. The suit alleges that OpenAI illegally used news articles to train its ChatGPT software without consent, seeking billions of dollars in damages.
The legal action, filed in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice on Friday, demands punitive damages, a disgorgement of profits gained from the alleged misuse, and an injunction preventing OpenAI from using news content in the future. It also seeks up to $20,000 in statutory damages for each article used, potentially valuing the suit in the billions.
The news organizations argue that their journalism, which is critical to public interest and their business models, was used for OpenAI’s commercial gain without proper authorization. In a joint statement, they emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property, stating, “Journalism is in the public interest. OpenAI using other companies’ journalism for their own commercial gain is not. It’s illegal.”
OpenAI has not yet responded to the allegations, which remain unproven in court.
Torstar CEO Neil Oliver addressed staff following the lawsuit’s filing, highlighting the role of journalism in supporting democracy and the communities served by these news organizations. “The journalism we produce is at the core of our business model and is essential to our democracy,” Oliver stated, condemning the alleged unauthorized use of content by OpenAI.
The suit follows similar actions by media organizations globally, including ongoing cases involving The New York Times and other prominent publishers. While OpenAI has signed licensing agreements with some outlets, such as The Associated Press and NewsCorp, the Canadian lawsuit underscores growing tensions between tech companies and traditional media over intellectual property rights in the age of artificial intelligence.
This legal challenge comes as OpenAI continues to grow rapidly, with its latest valuation reported at $157 billion following a significant round of fundraising.
