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Weekly News Digest
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March 17, 2026 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today.
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Encyclopedia Brittanica Sues OpenAI for Misusing Its Materials to Train AI Models
Blake Brittain reports the following in “Encyclopedia Britannica Sues OpenAI Over AI Training” for Reuters:Encyclopedia Britannica and its Merriam-Webster subsidiary have sued OpenAI in Manhattan federal court for allegedly misusing their reference materials to train its artificial intelligence models. Britannica said in the complaint … that Microsoft-backed OpenAI used its online articles and encyclopedia and dictionary entries to teach its flagship chatbot ChatGPT to respond to human prompts and ‘cannibalized’ Britannica’s web traffic with AI-generated summaries of its content. … The case is one of many high-stakes lawsuits filed by copyright owners including authors and news outlets against tech companies for using their material to train AI systems without permission. Britannica filed a related lawsuit against artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI last year that is still ongoing. For more information, read the article.
The IET Launches an Updated Video Platform With Help From Cadmore Media
Cadmore Media and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) teamed up “to relaunch IET.tv on a modern, scalable streaming platform built to support innovation, reduce internal workload, and deliver a stronger experience for its global audience. … By moving to Cadmore’s fully integrated video platform, the IET now has a future-ready foundation that removes technical complexity and enables continuous improvement without repeated redevelopment.” Viewers will benefit from “improved search across videos and transcripts, clearer content organisation across speakers, series, and events, and a more intuitive browsing experience that makes it easier to find relevant knowledge. …” For more information, read the press release.
Funding From Wellcome Enables Momentum on the eLife Pathways Project
eLife received £2.4 million (about $3.2 million) in funding from Wellcome that will go toward supporting its new initiative, eLife Pathways, which aims to build an open and collaborative ecosystem for new ways to approach scholarly communication. It has the following goals: “to enhance eLife’s existing technology so that it serves the community; to co-develop an open-source tool that will have significant community impact; and to provide technology that supports critical community projects, ensuring their adoption and contribution to the ecosystem.” “Transforming research communication requires infrastructure that communities everywhere can rely on. Through eLife Pathways, we are investing in open, interoperable technologies that lower technical barriers and enable journals worldwide—particularly in under-resourced regions—to participate fully in a more equitable and connected research ecosystem,” says Kamran Naim, incoming chairperson of eLife’s board of directors. “We’re grateful to Wellcome for recognising the importance of strengthening these foundations for the wider scholarly community.” For more information, read the news item.
Global Art Reproduction Shares Its Preservation Expertise in a New Online Platform
Global Art Reproduction launched an online platform to provide “museums, cultural institutions, and private collectors with educational content and access to a global network of scanning and print providers. The platform features a searchable map of providers worldwide and lets visitors explore the latest technologies used in art reproduction.” “As advocates for fine art reproduction, our goal with Global Art Reproduction is to provide a platform that supports the preservation and appreciation of art through high-quality reproductions,” says founder Heidi Thompson. “Only in recent years has technology progressed to make truly accurate, one-to-one reproductions possible. This allows institutions to preserve and share art in new ways, and we hope to encourage more reproduction to broaden access.” For more information, read the press release.
ACLS Shares Updates About the Restoration of NEH Case
The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) announced the following:On Friday, March 6, 2026, [ACLS], the American Historical Association (AHA), and the Modern Language Association (MLA) filed a motion for a summary judgment in their case to restore National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) previous function and funding. The motion included discovery documents revealing that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) used a flawed ChatGPT process to identify ‘DEI programs’ and inform decisions to terminate grants awarded by the NEH. The motion was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. … In the motion, the plaintiffs present three claims: violations of the First Amendment; violations of the Equal Protection Clause; and violation of the separation of powers, as DOGE carried out the termination of the grants, not the NEH Chair, and without approval from Congress. For more information, read the press release.
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Brandi Scardilli
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