"Perplexity Sued by Chicago Tribune Over Copyright Theft"

Chicago Tribune Sues Perplexity Over Copyright Infringement, Alleging Verbatim Use of Content The Chicago Tribune has filed a federal lawsuit against AI search engine Perplexity, alleging copyright infringement and accusing the company of using its content verbatim in its retrieval augmented generation (RAG) systems. According to the lawsuit, which was filed in a federal court in New York, the Tribune's lawyers claim that Perplexity's RAG method, designed to reduce hallucinations by relying on verified data sources, is instead being used to scrape and deliver Tribune content without permission. The lawsuit, which was filed on Thursday, marks the latest in a series of lawsuits filed by news publishers against AI model makers, including OpenAI and Microsoft, over the use of their work in model training. The Tribune alleges that its lawyers contacted Perplexity in mid-October, asking if the AI search engine was using its content. Perplexity's lawyers replied that they did not train models with the Tribune's work, but that they may receive non-verbatim factual summaries, according to the complaint. However, the Tribune's lawyers argue that Perplexity is delivering Tribune content verbatim, and that the company's RAG method is being used to circumvent copyright laws. "Perplexity's RAG method is being used to scrape and deliver Tribune content without permission, which is a clear violation of our copyrights," said a spokesperson for the Chicago Tribune. "We will vigorously defend our rights and protect our intellectual property." Perplexity's RAG method is designed to reduce hallucinations by having the model only use accurate or verified data sources. However, the Tribune's lawyers argue that this method is being used to limit the company's liability, rather than to genuinely reduce hallucinations. "The use of RAG by Perplexity is a clear attempt to circumvent copyright laws and avoid accountability for their actions," said a lawyer for the Tribune. This case marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over the use of AI and machine learning in journalism. As AI-powered search engines and model makers become increasingly prevalent, news publishers are beginning to push back against the use of their content without permission. "This lawsuit is a wake-up call for the AI industry, which has been operating with a sense of impunity for too long," said a spokesperson for the News Media Alliance. "We will continue to advocate for the rights of news publishers and protect our intellectual property." The lawsuit is currently pending in federal court, and it remains to be seen how Perplexity will respond to the allegations. However, one thing is clear: the use of AI and machine learning in journalism is a complex and contentious issue, and it will likely be the subject of many more lawsuits in the coming years. In a statement, a spokesperson for Perplexity said that the company is "committed to respecting the intellectual property rights of all content creators, including news publishers." However, the company declined to comment further on the lawsuit. The Chicago Tribune's lawsuit against Perplexity is a significant development in the ongoing debate over the use of AI and machine learning in journalism. As the industry continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how news publishers and AI model makers will navigate the complex issues surrounding copyright and intellectual property.