Intellectual Property
16 stories related to this topic, newest first.
Wzhkevin / Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)Chinese Mall Features Storefronts Resembling Brands Like Gucci and McDonald's
A mall in China contains multiple storefronts mimicking well-known brands. These include names like Gugcu, McDona, Icuis Vution, Herme Rwes, Fending and Bakes Star. The observation highlights the presence of such knockoff operations in the country.
theweek.comNews Publishers Block Internet Archive Web Crawlers
Global news organizations are blocking the Internet Archive's web crawlers to prevent AI companies from using archived content to train models without permission. This move follows ongoing lawsuits against firms like OpenAI for copyright infringement. A separate court ruling deni…
Serife Gerenschier / Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)Forced Perspective and The Boldest Form Strategic Partnership to Develop Film and TV IP
Production companies Forced Perspective and The Boldest announced a strategic partnership on April 28, 2026. The alliance focuses on creating scalable, franchise-ready intellectual property for film and television. It involves Jazzy Collins from Forced Perspective and Saskia Clem…
SemaforTaylor Swift Files Trademarks for Voice and Image to Protect Against AI Misuse
Taylor Swift's company submitted three trademark applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 24, 2026, covering her voice and a stage image. The move aims to safeguard against artificial intelligence deepfakes, following similar actions by actor Matthew McConaug…
Nbc NewsTaylor Swift Files Trademarks for Voice Clips and Image to Protect Likeness
Taylor Swift's company submitted three trademark applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 24, 2026, covering audio clips of her voice and a promotional photograph. The filings aim to safeguard her voice and image amid rising AI concerns. Similar protections w…
japantoday.comModel's Likeness Used Without Permission in Chinese AI Microdrama
Model and influencer Christine Li expressed bewilderment, anger and fear after seeing herself portrayed as a cruel character in a Chinese microdrama. She is not an actor and accused the production of stealing her face via AI. The incident highlights concerns over unauthorized use…
thehindu.comWhite House Memo Details Alleged Chinese AI Distillation Campaigns
The White House has accused foreign entities, primarily based in China, of conducting coordinated campaigns to copy frontier AI models from US companies using thousands of surrogate accounts. The accusations involve distillation techniques that extract capabilities from American…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)USPTO Again Rejects McDonald's 'Extra Value Meal' Trademark as Merely Descriptive
The United States Patent and Trademark Office rejected McDonald's trademark application for 'Extra Value Meal' on April 14, 2026, citing its descriptive nature. McDonald's has used the phrase for 30 years and argues it has acquired distinctiveness. The company filed an amendment…
mumbrella.com.auTests Show Midjourney Generates Yoda-Like Images from Descriptive Prompts, Sparking Copyright Debate
An entrepreneur's startup, VN.ai, has demonstrated how Midjourney can produce images resembling Star Wars characters like Yoda using indirect prompts. This comes amid a lawsuit against Midjourney by Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. for copyright infringement. The findings highl…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)US Senators Criticize Visa System Over Alleged Chinese Espionage
US senators at a congressional hearing expressed concerns that the visa system facilitates China's alleged theft of American innovation. The discussion focused on legal channels like work visas and university research as potential pathways for espionage. This comes amid intensifi…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)European Court of Justice Rules Against Kraftwerk in 2004 Copyright Case
The European Court of Justice has ruled in a copyright infringement case initiated by the German electronic music group Kraftwerk in 2004. The decision addressed an unapproved two-second sample from Kraftwerk's 1977 song 'Metall auf Metall.' The settlement did not favor Kraftwerk…
Gpj4ea / Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)Churchill Downs to Buy Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan IP Rights for $85 Million
Churchill Downs announced it will acquire the intellectual property rights for the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan for $85 million. The deal includes licensing those rights back to Maryland after 2026. The company, listed as CHDN on NASDAQ, is the buyer in the transaction.
Damian Putica / Wikimedia (Public domain)Generative AI and Its Reported Impacts on Art and Society in 2026
A 2026 article discusses generative AI's effects on the art world through reproduction technologies. It highlights criticisms including resource use and societal harms. Artists are noted as early predictors of these issues.
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Ark Robotics to Share Ukraine-Tested Defense Technology IP with UK Manufacturers via GRAIL Portal
European defense technology company Ark Robotics plans to provide its intellectual property for technologies tested in Ukraine to UK manufacturers. The IP will be accessible through the AI-powered defense portal GRAIL. Ark Robotics' CEO discussed the decision with CNBC using a ps…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)The Kobeissi Letter Reports Plagiarism of Analysis and Resolution After Legal Notice
The Kobeissi Letter announced that another user plagiarized their 'Conflict Playbook' analysis. The user posted the content as their own work. Following a legal notice from The Kobeissi Letter's counsel, the post was removed and the unauthorized use was acknowledged.
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)USPTO Introduces New Policy on PTAB Discretionary Denials for Patent Challenges
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has implemented a new policy for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board regarding discretionary denials of patent challenges. The policy aims to address concerns about serial petitions and parallel proceedings. It may affect how overseas companies…