The dictionary is suing Perplexity AI for incorrectly using the definition of "copyright"
While that might sound like a headline from The Onion, it's actually true.
In one of the more bizarre sounding events of the year, Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, the publishing giant behind the dictionary and one of the oldest-continuously operating publishers at that, has decided it's time to take on artificial intelligence.
As per Reuters, the publisher has launched a lawsuit against Perplexity AI under the grounds that the technology has infringed the definition of "copyright" that it uses in its own dictionaries and because the way the AI uses the term is in fact misused. Yep, a pretty loaded situation.
The lawsuit alleges that Perplexity "unlawfully copied their material and diminished their revenue by redirecting their web traffic to its AI-generated summaries," something that Perplexity has yet to comment on.
The claim is looking to secure unspecified monetary damages and a permanent order that will block Perplexity from misusing any of Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster content in the future too.
This is just the latest development of AI companies being under fire for how they gather and use content, be that in the form of training systems unlawfully or using content without the owner's permission.
