April 25, 2025: The legal heat on OpenAI continues to intensify as Ziff Davis, the media powerhouse behind CNET, IGN, PCMag, Mashable, and more than 45 other digital brands, has filed a major copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI company. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Delaware, accuses OpenAI of using its content without permission to train and power ChatGPT.
According to the complaint, OpenAI allegedly “intentionally and relentlessly” reproduced exact copies and derivatives of Ziff Davis’ articles — despite the company’s explicit efforts to prevent such scraping through standard web protection tools like robots.txt.
Ziff Davis claims OpenAI not only used its copyrighted content to build ChatGPT but also stripped copyright information and occasionally falsely attributed AI-generated content to its outlets, damaging the credibility and monetization of its media brands.
A Growing List of Legal Challenges for OpenAI
This lawsuit joins a growing number of legal actions against OpenAI. The New York Times, New York Daily News, The Intercept, and several Canadian media groups have all taken legal steps, alleging that their journalistic content was used without authorization.
While many other publishers, such as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The Associated Press, have struck licensing deals with OpenAI, Ziff Davis is taking a firm stance — asking the court to halt further use of its content and order the destruction of any AI models or datasets trained on its intellectual property.
OpenAI Responds
In a statement, an OpenAI spokesperson defended its practices, saying,
“Our models are trained on publicly available data and are grounded in fair use. ChatGPT helps enhance human creativity, drive innovation, and empower millions of people daily.”
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Despite mounting legal pressure, OpenAI maintains that its technology operates within the bounds of existing copyright law. The company also highlights its partnerships with news organizations that have chosen to collaborate rather than litigate.
Why This Matters for the Future of AI and Journalism
Ziff Davis, with nearly 2 million new articles published annually and over 292 million monthly user visits, represents one of the largest media publishers yet to take OpenAI to court. The case could set a significant precedent in the ongoing debate about how generative AI models should engage with copyrighted content in the digital age.
As AI continues to reshape content creation, journalism, and digital media, the outcome of this lawsuit may influence how companies like OpenAI license and interact with third-party material — and how media outlets choose to protect or monetize their intellectual property.