CNN Files Copyright Lawsuit Against AI Search Service Perplexity

CNN has filed a lawsuit against AI search service Perplexity in the U.S. Southern District Court of New York, alleging copyright infringement through the unauthorized use of its news content. CNN claims Perplexity is profiting from the investments and costs incurred by original content-producing news organizations, asserting that a commercial entity is seeking to gain profit without compensation from the public that relies on high-quality journalism. Furthermore, CNN pointed out that Perplexity infringed upon its trademark by using CNN's name and logo, potentially misleading users into believing Perplexity's output is associated with or endorsed by CNN.

Perplexity has faced similar copyright infringement lawsuits from entities like The New York Times previously. The company has maintained its stance that facts themselves cannot be copyrighted. Perplexity was sued by The New York Times for copyright infringement in 2024, at which time The New York Times also filed lawsuits against Microsoft and OpenAI.

This lawsuit underscores the fact that clear standards for content use between AI companies and news organizations have yet to be firmly established. While some media outlets are seeking collaboration by entering into licensing agreements with AI firms, cases are emerging where negotiations fail, leading to legal disputes.