USA TODAY sues OpenAI for USD 250 million: AI case tests USA TODAY stock

Published on 10/20/2026 at 14:30 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

The complaint seeks more than USD 250 million in damages. USA TODAY stock costs EUR 6.18 on October 20, 2026 beside a USD 1.0 billion market value.

USA TODAY expands its legal and digital strategy

USA TODAY Co. sued OpenAI on October 8, 2026, seeking more than USD 250 million.
USA TODAY Co. reported more than USD 2.2 billion in LTM revenue as of June 30, 2026.
USA TODAY stock was trading at EUR 6.18 at 2:18 p.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026.
USA TODAY Co. is scheduled to report earnings on October 29, 2026.

TDAY, US36472T1097, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

USA TODAY Co. (ISIN US36472T1097) sued OpenAI on October 8, 2026, seeking more than USD 250 million in damages over the alleged use of its journalism. Magica reported that the complaint also seeks destruction of affected models and training sets.

AI litigation adds a strategic test

The legal action gives USA TODAY Co. a second route to monetize journalism as it expands digital products and licensing. The complaint covers alleged copying during model development and summaries generated from retrieved articles, but the allegations remain for the court to assess.

The company said its digital business had more than USD 1.0 billion in LTM revenue as of June 30, 2026, compared with more than USD 2.2 billion in total LTM revenue. Its investor-relations page also reported 158 million average monthly unique visitors in the second quarter of 2026, including the USA TODAY network and U.K. digital properties, according to USA TODAY Co.

What does the lawsuit mean for revenue?

The claim arrives alongside a mixed subscription picture. In the first quarter of 2026, digital revenue reached USD 261.9 million, up 4.6 percent from a year earlier, while total revenue fell 4.0 percent to USD 548.5 million, according to Magica. Digital-only paid subscriptions declined 28 percent to 1.311 million at March 31, 2026, while average monthly revenue per subscription rose 48 percent to USD 10.80.

Three dates frame the strategy

On July 30, 2025, the company announced a licensing agreement with Perplexity that included advertising-revenue sharing, according to Magica. On September 28, 2026, USA TODAY Co. and Lee Enterprises realigned local newspaper portfolios, according to StockQuay. The October 8, 2026 OpenAI lawsuit is the latest event.

Reporting dates approach

FinanChill lists October 29, 2026 as the next earnings date and November 5, 2026 as an estimated alternative. Those dates will help investors compare the legal strategy with the company's operating trend.

Stock trades at EUR 6.18

The stock was trading at EUR 6.18 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 2:18 p.m. CEST. The finance snapshot placed USA TODAY Co.'s market capitalization at USD 1.0 billion on October 19, 2026, while its primary listing is NYSE: TDAY.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of USA TODAY stock.