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Britannica and Merriam-Webster Sue Perplexity AI Over Copyright Claims

By  |  September 11, 2025

Perplexity AI has become the latest artificial intelligence startup to face legal action over its use of copyrighted content. Encyclopedia Britannica and its subsidiary Merriam-Webster filed a lawsuit in New York federal court on Wednesday, accusing the company of misusing their material in its AI-driven “answer engine,” according to Reuters.

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    The complaint alleges that Perplexity copied articles from Britannica and Merriam-Webster and reduced their online traffic by directing users to AI-generated summaries instead of the original sources. Per Reuters, the plaintiffs claim this practice infringes their intellectual property rights and has caused financial harm.

    Perplexity’s platform operates by scanning the internet for information and delivering summarized responses, positioning itself as an alternative to conventional search engines like Google. Britannica and Merriam-Webster argue that this method unfairly benefits from their investment in content creation, effectively “free riding” on their work by replicating it without authorization.

    The companies also contend that Perplexity violated trademark protections by attributing false or AI-generated information to them, which they say risks damaging their reputation. They are seeking unspecified financial compensation as well as an injunction to prevent further use of their material.

    Related: Apple Explores Potential AI Deals With Mistral and Perplexity

    This lawsuit is part of a growing wave of legal challenges against AI developers accused of repurposing copyrighted works without permission. Per Reuters, Perplexity is already facing similar litigation from News Corp’s Dow Jones unit and the New York Post.

    The case, filed under Encyclopedia Britannica Inc v. Perplexity AI Inc in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, is being handled by attorneys Ian Crosby, Davida Brook, and Gloria Park of Susman Godfrey on behalf of Britannica. Lawyers for Perplexity have not yet been identified, and representatives for both sides did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Source: Reuters