The Trump administration intervened in The New York Times' 2023 copyright lawsuit against OpenAI, siding with the $852bn AI company. The Department of Justice filed a legal brief rejecting the newspaper's claims that OpenAI used copyrighted material to train its chatbot without permission. DOJ argued that restricting such training would hinder American AI progress and economic mobility, citing executive orders supporting AI dominance.

The move impacts dozens of similar lawsuits by creators and publishers. The White House opposes strict AI regulation, favoring voluntary oversight. This follows Trump's ongoing feud with The New York Times, including a $15bn defamation lawsuit the newspaper denies.

OpenAI has discussed giving the public a 5% stake with the administration. The FT recently partnered with OpenAI on a licensing deal. The New York Times called the intervention harmful to American creators, while Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward described it as historic, emphasizing AI's importance to national security and prosperity.