Perplexity AI Seeks to Dismiss Copyright Lawsuits from NY Times, Chicago Tribune

AI company argues it's not liable for infringing content in user-generated search results

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Perplexity AI has asked a federal court to dismiss copyright lawsuits brought by the New York Times and Chicago Tribune over its AI search engine. The tech company argues it cannot be held liable for infringing content that appears in search results based on user prompts, as it is the "highly atypical, litigation-driven 'user' behavior" that is the proximate cause of any copyright infringement, not Perplexity's own actions.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing legal battles between media companies and AI technology firms over the use of copyrighted content. As AI search and content generation tools become more advanced, there are growing concerns about their potential to infringe on intellectual property rights. The outcome of this case could set an important precedent for how liability is determined in such situations.

The details

The New York Times and Chicago Tribune have both filed copyright lawsuits against Perplexity AI, alleging that its AI-powered search engine has been generating content that infringes on the newspapers' copyrights. In its motion to dismiss the lawsuits, Perplexity argues that it cannot be held responsible for the infringing content, as it is the result of user prompts and not any "volitional conduct" by the company itself.

  • Perplexity AI filed its motion to dismiss the lawsuits on February 27, 2026.

The players

Perplexity AI Inc.

An artificial intelligence company that has developed an AI-powered search engine.

New York Times Co.

A major American newspaper publisher that has filed a copyright lawsuit against Perplexity AI.

Chicago Tribune Co.

A major American newspaper publisher that has also filed a copyright lawsuit against Perplexity AI.

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What’s next

The federal court will now consider Perplexity AI's motion to dismiss the copyright lawsuits brought by the New York Times and Chicago Tribune.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing legal challenges around the use of copyrighted content by AI technology companies. The outcome could set an important precedent for determining liability in such situations and the extent to which AI firms can be held responsible for infringing content generated by user prompts.