The BBC has threatened legal action against the San Francisco-based AI startup Perplexity AI, accusing the company of scraping and using its content without permission to train its artificial intelligence models. In a letter to CEO Aravind Srinivas, the BBC demands that Perplexity cease using its content, delete existing unauthorized data, and provide a proposal for financial compensation. This marks the broadcaster’s first legal move to protect its intellectual property from unauthorized AI use. The BBC asserts that Perplexity’s services reproduce its content verbatim and compete directly with its own platforms. Perplexity denies wrongdoing, claiming the BBC misunderstands AI technology and copyright law. The legal action follows a broader industry concern over potential UK legislation allowing tech firms to access copyrighted content unless explicitly opted out. BBC Director General Tim Davie and other media executives have called for stronger IP protections and licensing agreements. Similar disputes have arisen elsewhere, with Dow Jones suing Perplexity and other major publishers signing licensing deals with AI firms like OpenAI and Meta. UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has pledged that new laws will not undermine the creative sector. The BBC has also reinforced its copyright claims in the U.S. by registering its news content.
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