by Vivian Nguyen
Dec. 5, 2025
Key Takeaways
– The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against Perplexity AI, alleging copyright infringement.
– Perplexity uses retrieval augmented generation (RAG) to aggregate answers from online sources; publishers say that includes copyrighted journalism.
The New York Times has sued Perplexity AI, accusing the AI-powered search and answer service of using the newspaper’s content without permission. The complaint alleges Perplexity incorporated Times reporting into its responses and other outputs without licensing or authorization.
Perplexity builds answers by aggregating material from across the web using retrieval augmented generation technology, which combines retrieved source text with generative models to produce summaries or direct responses. Publishers have increasingly criticized such workflows, saying the systems repurpose journalistic content for products that generate value for AI companies while bypassing payment to creators and outlets.
The lawsuit follows similar legal action against Perplexity by other publishers, including the Chicago Tribune, which has claimed the company used its copyrighted material without authorization. Those suits reflect a broader wave of litigation as news organizations press for compensation, transparency, or limits on how AI firms use copyrighted journalism.
Publishers argue that the economic model of many AI services undermines the news industry by diverting traffic and monetization away from original outlets and by training models on copyrighted work without agreed terms. AI companies counter that their systems transform and synthesize information and often rely on public web sources, and some have pursued licensing deals with content providers.
The case is another example of the legal and commercial tensions emerging as generative AI expands its use of third-party content. Its outcome could influence how AI builders source and present news material and whether publishers can secure new licensing or revenue arrangements for their work.
