Trump Backs OpenAI in Copyright Fight With NYT

The Trump administration has stepped into a high-stakes legal battle, filing court papers that side with OpenAI against The New York Times. The Times sued in 2023, saying OpenAI trained its AI using millions of NYT articles without paying for them — and wants billions in damages. The government argues that using copyrighted text to train AI is legal under “fair use,” a rule that lets people reuse protected material for new purposes.

The administration says blocking AI from using copyrighted work would hurt innovation and economic growth. In a court filing, it called AI tools like chatbots a modern engine of progress, comparing their development to breakthroughs in science and the arts. It warns that restricting AI training would hurt American prosperity and mobility.

The outcome could set a precedent for other lawsuits from media companies like the Chicago Tribune and New York Daily News. While some news organizations have already cut deals with AI companies — like The Associated Press and Vox Media — The Times went to court instead. A 2025 ruling allowed one AI firm to train on books it bought legally but still cost $1.5 billion in a separate piracy settlement.

This case is about more than AI: it’s about who controls access to information. If AI companies can freely use news articles, they might offer cheaper tools and smarter search. But if courts side with publishers, you could see more paywalls, higher subscription prices, and slower AI progress — all affecting how you read, research, and even work online.