London, United Kingdom (Enmaeya News) — The BBC has issued a formal warning to Perplexity AI, demanding the startup cease scraping its content, delete existing copies, and propose financial compensation for what it alleges is unauthorized use of its material.
In a letter to Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, the BBC claimed the AI platform reproduces its content verbatim, damaging the broadcaster’s services and reputation. Director General Tim Davie underscored the importance of protecting intellectual property, saying the BBC is registering its copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office to bolster its legal position.
Perplexity dismissed the BBC’s claims as unfounded.
“The BBC’s approach is manipulative and opportunistic,” Perplexity said in a statement. It added that it does not train its own foundational AI models but rather provides access to those developed by other companies.
The BBC is the latest in a string of media organizations — including Forbes, Wired, the New York Times, and Dow Jones — to accuse Perplexity of unauthorized content scraping. The dispute underscores growing legal and regulatory tensions between publishers and AI developers as reliance on online content increases.
The BBC has joined other outlets in calling for opt-in licensing frameworks to ensure fair compensation for use of journalistic work. UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has reaffirmed that any upcoming AI copyright legislation will aim to protect the creative industries.