Britannica Sues Perplexity AI Over Copyright Infringement

Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster have filed a lawsuit against Perplexity AI, accusing the startup of misusing their content in its AI-powered “answer engine” for internet searches.

The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims that Perplexity’s system infringes on copyright by “free riding” on Britannica and Merriam-Webster’s work. It allegedly generates summaries that divert traffic away from their websites.

The plaintiffs also allege that Perplexity attributed AI hallucinations and omissions to them which can harm their reputation, trademarks, and public trust

According to the lawsuit, Perplexity chose to scrape copyrighted content instead of pursuing licenses. Complaint argues this undermines the incentive to invest in high-quality and reliable content.

Britannica and Merriam-Webster are seeking monetary damages and legal costs. They have also requested a permanent injunction to prevent Perplexity from misusing their content.

The case comes as Perplexity faces growing legal challenges. Recently, News Corp’s Dow Jones and the New York Post also sued the company for allegedly misusing their journalism.