Chicago Tribune Files Lawsuit Against Perplexity Over Content Use

The Chicago Tribune has escalated its battle against artificial intelligence companies, filing a federal lawsuit against Perplexity AI in New York. The newspaper accuses the search engine company of systematically scraping its content without authorization and circumventing paywalls to deliver protected journalism to users.

The Core Allegations

According to court documents, Tribune lawyers first raised concerns with Perplexity in mid-October. While the AI company claimed it didn't use Tribune articles as training data, it admitted that "some factual summaries may have occurred." The newspaper's legal team contends this response significantly understates the issue.

"What we're seeing goes far beyond simple summarization," explained a source familiar with the case. "They're reproducing our reporting with such precision that it threatens both our business model and journalistic integrity."

Technology Under Scrutiny

The lawsuit specifically targets Perplexity's Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system. Designed to reduce AI bias by referencing verified sources, the technology appears to have incorporated Tribune content without permission. Additionally, the complaint highlights concerns about Perplexity's Comet browser allegedly bypassing paywalls to provide full article summaries.

This isn't the first time media companies have pushed back against AI firms. Earlier this year, MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing—which collectively own 17 news organizations—filed similar complaints against OpenAI and Microsoft. Nine of these outlets had already initiated legal action last November.

Industry-Wide Implications

The case could set important precedents for how courts view AI search technologies within copyright law frameworks. As more publishers grow wary of having their content used without compensation, this lawsuit may inspire similar actions across the industry.

Perplexity hasn't yet responded publicly to the allegations or requests for comment from various media outlets. The company currently faces other legal challenges from Reddit and Dow Jones, while Amazon recently issued a cease-and-desist notice regarding Perplexity's shopping-related AI features.

Key Points:

• Legal Action: Chicago Tribune sues Perplexity for unauthorized content use
• Technology Focus: RAG system allegedly incorporates protected content without permission
• Broader Trend: Part of growing media pushback against AI content practices
• Potential Impact: Could influence how courts interpret copyright in AI context