AI businesses take a stand over unauthorized use of Asahi and Nikkei articles

Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei are suing Perplexity in Tokyo District Court, alleging unauthorized copying and storage of their articles for AI-generated answers.

They are seeking an injunction and a combined 4.4 billion yen in damages, claiming copyright infringement and violations of Japan’s Unfair Competition Prevention Act.

At the first hearing, Perplexity asked for the case to be dismissed and denied the allegations.

The case is being watched as a key test of how far generative AI services can use news content in Japan, with implications for media revenue and trust.