By JD Knapp
Publication Date: 2026-05-28 14:11:00
CNN has sued Perplexity AI for “unlawfully copying and distributing” the network’s content without permission — going as far as to say that the artificial intelligence-powered answer engine is even misleading people into thinking the companies have a working relationship.
Perplexity’s response to TheWrap: “You can’t copyright facts.”
The lawsuit filed Thursday in United States District Court – Southern District of New York also alleges that Perplexity actively knew it did not have the network’s consent to have its news content funneled to users through AI chatbots due to a prior, terminated short-form agreement.
“CNN actively embraces the opportunities AI creates. We have been engaged in the AI licensing marketplace for years, with multiple commercial partnerships, active agreements, and ongoing discussions with responsible industry players,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement. “CNN’s lawsuit stands for the proposition that Perplexity, a company valued at tens of billions of dollars, should not be able to steal from entities that create the original content Perplexity exploits.”
“The public rely on high quality news journalism reported by human beings to understand their world, which is frequently dangerous and expensive to produce. Commercial operators can and must pay to make use of it,” the statement continued. “We prefer that they do so through sensible licensing arrangements,…
