In an unprecedented move, The New York Times is suing ChatGPT creators OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. The publication submitted a petition to the Federal Court of Manhattan on Dec. 27, 2023.

The lawsuit is expected to draw momentous attention from media and technology specialists alike, as it could set a precedent for how artificial intelligence (AI) assistants and other similar AI technologies can use copyrighted material without approval.

In a legal complaint spanning almost 70 pages, the New York Times asserts that “Independent journalism is vital to our democracy. It is also increasingly rare and valuable.” The petition to the federal court goes on to state that The New York Times journalists “go where the story is, often at great risk and cost,” to help inform the public on pressing matters.

“They [Times journalists] bear witness to conflict and disasters, provide accountability for the use of power, and illuminate truths that would otherwise go unseen. Their essential work is made possible through the efforts of a large and expensive organization that provides legal, security, and operational support, as well as editors who ensure their journalism meets the highest standards of accuracy and fairness.”

Ian Crosby, head counsel at Susman Godfrey representing The New York Times in the lawsuit, mentioned that chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT are primary competitors of The Times.

“These bots compete with the content they are trained on,” Crosby said.

Although the lawsuit does not explicitly list a dollar amount, the complaint is seeking to hold OpenAI and Microsoft responsible for “the billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages that they owe for the unlawful copying and use of The Times’s uniquely valuable works.”

In a prepared statement, spokesperson of OpenAI Lindsay Held said the company is “hopeful” that there will be a way that is “mutually beneficial” to collaborate.

“We respect the rights of content creators and owners and are committed to working with them to ensure they benefit from A.I. technology and new revenue models,” Held said. “We’re hopeful that we will find a mutually beneficial way to work together.”

The lawsuit names Microsoft as a co-defendant in the copyright infringement case because of their extensive partnership with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The software giant earmarked nearly $13 billion for OpenAI last year, incorporating the AI company’s technology into its popular Bing search engine.

Microsoft has yet to comment on the pending federal lawsuit.