Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster are suing OpenAI in federal court in Manhattan. They allege the tech company used their copyrighted articles, encyclopedia entries, and dictionary definitions to train ChatGPT without permission.
Britannica claims OpenAI copied nearly 100,000 articles to develop its GPT large language models. The lawsuit asserts that ChatGPT generates responses that reproduce Britannica’s content verbatim, reducing traffic to its digital platforms.
The complaint also accuses OpenAI of trademark infringement, arguing the AI falsely implies an endorsement or partnership with Britannica. Additionally, ChatGPT has cited Britannica in fabricated 'hallucinations,' damaging brand integrity.
Britannica seeks monetary damages and a court order to halt the alleged copyright and trademark violations. This case follows its ongoing lawsuit against AI startup Perplexity AI.
The legal action is part of a broader wave of copyright challenges from publishers, authors, and media firms against AI firms using proprietary content for training without consent.