Encyclopedia Britannica has survived the electronic age thus far, but artificial intelligence may be a different beast entirely. Now, a high-stakes lawsuit could signal a broader reckoning.
What's happening?
In a lawsuit filed March 13 in Manhattan federal court, Encyclopedia Britannica and its Merriam-Webster subsidiary accused OpenAI of "cannibalizing" its content.
The suit alleged that OpenAI illegally copied nearly 100,000 of its copyrighted articles, allowing ChatGPT to freely feast on knowledge at the expense of human researchers, writers, editors, and creators. As OpenAI's valuation soared to over $700 billion, Britannica's traffic slumped.
Britannica also accused OpenAI of violating the Lanham Act, which protects owners of federally registered trademarks "against the use of similar marks if such use is likely to result in consumer confusion, or if the dilution of a famous mark is likely to occur," according to Cornell Law School.
Britannica said ChatGPT misleadingly omits information in its AI-generated summaries and is prone to "hallucinations" that undermine content quality and brand trust.
Why is Britannica's lawsuit important?
Britannica's lawsuit is another flashpoint in a deepening war over who owns human knowledge and who profits from it, as Reuters noted.
AI companies have said they are well within their rights because they are transforming copyrighted content into something new. Meanwhile, Britannica, The New York Times, and Disney are among the copyright holders accusing these companies of using their content without permission.
"We need to sue AI companies into oblivion," one X user suggested.
The battle is intensifying as public opinion over energy-hungry AI data centers is in freefall — with noise, air and water pollution, and soaring electricity costs overshadowing early optimism over AI's potential to optimize energy grids and save lives.
What's being done about this?
Britannica is seeking a court order to block OpenAI from infringing on its intellectual property, along with monetary damages, according to Reuters.
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In the meantime, communities are fighting back against data center development. In a three-month period in 2025, grassroots organizing and opposition led to nearly $100 billion in canceled projects.
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