Perplexity AI is facing a lawsuit filed by Encyclopedia Britannica and its subsidiary Merriam-Webster in the New York federal court. The complaint alleges that Perplexity copied articles from Britannica and Merriam-Webster and diverted online traffic by directing users to AI-generated summaries rather than original sources. Britannica and Merriam-Webster also argue that Perplexity’s method unfairly benefits from their investments in content creation, effectively “free riding” on their work without authorization.
The lawsuit further claims that Perplexity violated trademark protections by attributing inaccurate or AI-generated content to the plaintiffs, which they say risks damaging their reputation. The companies are seeking financial compensation and a court order to prevent further unauthorized use of their material.
The case, titled Encyclopedia Britannica Inc v. Perplexity AI Inc, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and is being led by attorneys Ian Crosby, Davida Brook, and Gloria Park of Susman Godfrey. This suit adds to a series of legal challenges against AI firms accused of repurposing copyrighted material without permission. Perplexity already faces similar cases from News Corp’s Dow Jones unit and the New York Post, highlighting broader tensions between content creators and AI developers over intellectual property rights.
