Trump Administration Backs OpenAI in NY Times Copyright Suit

The Trump administration is urging a New York federal judge to rule in favor of OpenAI Inc.'s claim that training its artificial intelligence models on New York Times Co. and other publishers’ copyrighted works constitutes fair use.

The US “has a strong interest in continuing to develop a robust and competitive artificial intelligence industry that sets the standard for the practice and procedure of AI use globally,” the Justice Department said Tuesday in a statement of interest filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Ruling for OpenAI will bolster American innovation and national security capabilities, the DOJ said.

By contrast, finding for the publishers in the multi-district litigation “would be inconsistent with basic copyright law principles and severely hamper” President Donald Trump’s January 2025 executive order, which seeks to sustain US dominance in the AI space and “promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security,” the agency said.

The Trump administration’s bid comes at a time of rapid AI innovation. As the judicial system struggles to keep pace with the tech, the court’s ultimate decision could guide future rulings of what’s considered copyright infringement amid rampant AI model training.