Overview
- NYT publisher A.G. Sulzberger made the remarks in a keynote at the World News Media Congress in Marseille on Monday, saying the paper has spent more than $20 million in legal and related actions against OpenAI.
- Sulzberger accused large AI companies of taking and repackaging news without permission or fair pay, calling the practice 'brazen theft' that siphons audiences and ad dollars from original publishers.
- The Times sued OpenAI in December 2023 and has since pursued both litigation and selective commercial deals, including a content‑licensing agreement with Amazon announced last year.
- Sulzberger estimated that less than 0.5% of the nearly $350 billion in U.S. private AI investment in 2025 has gone to the creators of the data that powers models and said licensing or micropayments alone may not replace lost revenue and readers.
- He urged news organizations to set standards for responsible AI use, use AI constructively, deepen direct audience relationships, and double down on distinctive original reporting to protect journalism and democratic accountability.