The Seattle Times just sued OpenAI over its journalism. Miami's own paper fought a similar battle in its own newsroom, and settled it differently.
The Seattle Times Co. and Newsday sued Microsoft and OpenAI Friday in the Southern District of New York. The suit accuses both companies of training AI models on their journalism without permission.
What the Lawsuit Actually Alleges
The complaint says the companies scraped hundreds of thousands of Seattle Times and Newsday articles. It alleges they bypassed paywalls and ignored terms of service.
It cites a specific example. ChatGPT reproduced an 88-word verbatim stretch from the Seattle Times' Pulitzer-winning Boeing 737 MAX coverage. It generated that from just a headline and web address.
"Like a snake eating its own tail, GenAI that is trained on painstakingly researched, expensive-to-produce content threatens to destroy the very news organizations" it depends on, the suit argues.
Seattle Times Co. President and CEO Alan Fisco called it a difficult call in a memo to staff.
"This was not an easy decision. However, we feel strongly that we must defend our content, which we spend millions of dollars a year to produce, from being used without our consent or compensation."
The case is notable for another reason. Microsoft Philanthropies has underwritten Seattle Times journalism projects. In 2024, Microsoft and OpenAI jointly funded a $10 million Lenfest Institute AI fellowship. Both the Seattle Times and Newsday were among its inaugural newsrooms.
Microsoft responded the same evening, striking a conciliatory tone.
"While we're surprised by the lawsuit, we appreciate the importance of the Seattle Times to our region and we're always happy to sit down and explore solutions to this type of dispute."
Miami Herald Already Had This Fight
The Miami Herald, owned by McClatchy alongside the Sacramento Bee, faced its own version of this conflict earlier this year. It came from a different direction.
More than 65 unionized Miami Herald and Bradenton Herald employees signed a letter this spring. They objected to undisclosed AI-generated content appearing under their bylines without consent.
"Filling our newspapers and websites with AI-generated content harms the relationships journalists build in our communities for a truly sustainable newsroom," the employees wrote.
Two Different Outcomes
The Miami Herald's union ultimately secured contract language restricting what AI can do in the newsroom. That includes barring it from replacing core reporting tasks like news gathering.
AI-generated pieces now run with disclosure. One recent Herald example carried the byline "Produced using AI, based on original work by Michelle Marchante."
Other McClatchy properties have pointed to the Miami Herald's contract as a model while negotiating their own AI protections.
The Same Root Problem, Two Different Fights
Seattle Times sued over AI trained on its journalism without consent. Miami Herald fought over AI generating content from its journalism without disclosure.
Both disputes trace back to the same tension. AI systems increasingly rely on real reporting to function. The newsrooms producing that reporting are still negotiating what they get in return.
What This Means for Miami's Own Newsroom
OpenAI has since signed licensing deals with outlets including the Associated Press, News Corp and Axel Springer. Combined, they're worth a reported $300 million.
No such deal exists yet for McClatchy's papers. For the Miami Herald, that leaves its own journalism unresolved. It's the same position Seattle Times just decided to sue over.
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