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Key takeaways

• The Seattle Times and Newsday filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft.

• The report says the claims involve alleged use of journalism for AI training.

• The litigation follows earlier publisher cases, according to the source.

• Microsoft said it was surprised and open to discussing solutions.

• The source frames this as a global policy signal, not a Morocco-specific claim.

What the report says

TechCrunch reported on September 5, 2026 that The Seattle Times and Newsday filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft. The report says the cases concern alleged use of their journalism to train AI. It also says the litigation follows earlier publisher cases.

The source does not provide the full legal filings. It also does not describe the specific works, prompts, or training methods at issue. So the safest reading is limited to the reported allegation and the fact of the lawsuits.

Why this matters

This report sits at the intersection of generative AI, journalism, licensing, and copyright. The source does not resolve those questions. It only shows that the dispute remains active and that publishers continue to challenge how their material may be used.

The report also includes a response from Microsoft. A Microsoft spokesperson said the company was surprised and open to discussing solutions. That statement suggests a willingness to talk, but it does not indicate any agreement or outcome.

What is known from the source

The source gives a narrow set of facts. Two publishers filed lawsuits. The defendants are OpenAI and Microsoft. The alleged issue is the use of journalism for AI training.

The report also places the case in a broader sequence. It says the litigation follows earlier publisher cases. Beyond that, the source does not identify those cases or explain their status. Any deeper comparison would be an assumption, so it should be avoided.

Operational and governance considerations

This story highlights a common governance issue for AI systems: the origin of training data. When a dispute centers on journalism, the questions often include permission, licensing, and control over content use. The source does not say how these issues will be handled here.

It also shows why public statements matter. A company response can signal openness to dialogue, but it does not settle legal risk. For readers tracking AI governance, the key point is that unresolved data-use questions can become public disputes.

Morocco relevance

The source reports no Morocco-specific fact. For readers, the global lesson is simple: disputes over training data can shape how AI and content industries talk about licensing and copyright.

Bottom line

Based on the source, this is a new legal challenge involving two publishers and two major AI companies. The report does not provide a final ruling or a detailed legal theory. It does show that the debate over journalism used in AI training remains active.

For now, the most careful conclusion is limited. The lawsuits are real, the allegation is clear, and the broader policy question is still open.