News Corp Warns Trump: AI 'Cannibalizing' 'Art of the Deal' Sales
News Corp, the global media company owned by Rupert Murdoch, has issued a public warning to Donald Trump, asserting that artificial intelligence (AI) is exploiting the content of his books, most notably The Art of the Deal.
The company, which holds a vast portfolio including The Wall Street Journal, The Times (UK), and book publisher HarperCollins, made the statement as part of its fourth-quarter earnings report. While HarperCollins has published three of Trump's books, his best-known title, The Art of the Deal, was originally published by Random House.
In its statement, News Corp underscored the critical importance of intellectual property in the evolving AI landscape. "The AI age must cherish the value of intellectual property if we are collectively to realize our potential," the company declared. It further stated, "Even the president of the United States is not immune to blatant theft. The president’s books are still reporting healthy sales, but are being consumed by AI engines which profit from his thoughts by cannibalizing his concepts, thus undermining future sales of his books." The company concluded with a pointed remark: "Suddenly, The Art of the Deal has become The Art of the Steal."
This warning from News Corp aligns with a growing trend of media organizations taking legal action against AI companies for alleged copyright infringement. The New York Times, for example, is currently suing OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, for using its content to train AI models without permission. Similarly, Dow Jones, which publishes The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post, both News Corp subsidiaries, sued Perplexity AI in October over similar copyright claims. A federal judge recently denied OpenAI's request to dismiss the New York Times lawsuit.
The timing of News Corp's message is also notable, coming after the White House's announcement last month of Trump's "AI action plan," which proposes loosening AI regulations put in place by the Biden administration.
During a recent earnings call, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson revealed that the company is engaged in "advanced negotiations with several AI companies." He emphasized that these companies are increasingly recognizing that "the purchase of [intellectual property] is as important as the acquisition of semiconductors or the securing of stable energy sources." Thomson characterized their strategy as a blend of "wooing and suing," stating, "We prefer the former, but we will never shy away from protecting our property rights."
The warning also highlights existing tensions between News Corp and Donald Trump. Trump previously sued The Wall Street Journal after the newspaper published a report he claimed was false and libelous. Although Rupert Murdoch and Trump were once considered allies, their relationship reportedly strained during Trump's third presidential campaign.
News Corp's fourth-quarter earnings surpassed expectations, primarily driven by a rise in digital subscriptions for Dow Jones publications, which include The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and MarketWatch. The company also announced plans to launch a new California-based tabloid, the California Post, in early 2026, intended as a companion to The New York Post.