WikiHow has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the company of scraping, copying, and ingesting its copyrighted content without permission or payment to train ChatGPT. The complaint, filed in August 2026, states that OpenAI used WikiHow’s extensive library of human-authored, expert-verified how-to instructions to build and operate its AI models, depriving WikiHow of web traffic and revenue, according to medianama.com.
The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI infringed on WikiHow’s copyrights at multiple stages of the generative AI process. This includes mass-scale copying of WikiHow’s articles to train large language models, use of retrieval-augmented generation systems that access and replicate WikiHow’s content, and ChatGPT delivering responses that reproduce WikiHow’s instructions. WikiHow claims these actions violate its exclusive rights under the Copyright Act and harm its business by cannibalizing its web traffic.
This legal action highlights ongoing tensions between content creators and AI developers over data usage rights. WikiHow’s case joins other copyright disputes involving generative AI firms accused of using copyrighted material without licenses. The outcome could influence how AI companies source training data and compensate original content providers. It also raises questions about the balance between AI innovation and intellectual property protections.
The lawsuit was publicly reported by medianama.com on August 25, 2026, marking a significant moment in the evolving legal landscape surrounding AI training data. The case will proceed through the courts, where WikiHow seeks recognition of its copyrights and compensation for alleged unauthorized use.