News/Law
Thomson Reuters wins landmark AI copyright lawsuit
The battle over AI companies' use of copyrighted material for training has reached a pivotal moment with the first major artificial intelligence copyright ruling in the United States. Thomson Reuters' lawsuit against Ross Intelligence, filed in 2020, centered on the startup's alleged reproduction of materials from Thomson Reuters' legal research platform Westlaw. Key ruling details: U.S. District Court of Delaware Judge Stephanos Bibas issued a summary judgment in favor of Thomson Reuters, rejecting all of Ross Intelligence's defenses. Judge Bibas determined that Ross Intelligence had infringed on Thomson Reuters' copyright by using Westlaw materials The ruling specifically addressed the critical...
read Feb 11, 2025FTC bans DoNotPay’s ‘AI lawyer’ claims and orders refunds
DoNotPay, a company that marketed its online service as "the world's first robot lawyer," has faced regulatory action from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over misleading artificial intelligence claims. The FTC's investigation revealed that DoNotPay made unsubstantiated claims about its AI chatbot's ability to match human lawyer expertise in generating legal documents and providing legal advice. Key enforcement actions: The FTC has finalized an order requiring DoNotPay to cease making deceptive claims about its AI capabilities and implement significant remedial measures. The company must pay $193,000 in monetary relief DoNotPay is required to notify all subscribers from 2021-2023 about the...
read Feb 6, 2025Authors accuse Meta of ransacking 81.7TB of pirated books for AI training
Technology giant Meta faces new allegations of using pirated books to train its artificial intelligence systems, with unsealed emails revealing the company downloaded over 81.7 terabytes of copyrighted content through torrent networks. Key allegations: Authors have filed a copyright case against Meta, claiming the company illegally obtained and used pirated books for AI training through multiple shadow libraries. Internal emails show Meta downloaded 35.7 terabytes from Z-Library and LibGen, in addition to a previous 80.6 terabytes from LibGen The scale of alleged piracy is particularly notable, with authors describing it as "astonishing" compared to smaller cases that triggered criminal investigations...
read Feb 6, 2025OpenAI files trademark application for humanoid robots
OpenAI has filed a trademark application for humanoid robots and is expanding its product portfolio while actively building a robotics team. Key development: OpenAI submitted a trademark application on January 31 that includes user-programmable humanoid robots designed to assist and entertain people. The application specifically mentions humanoid robots with communication and learning capabilities The company is currently hiring for mechanical product engineers and senior research engineers to join its robotics team The robotics initiative aims to combine high-level AI capabilities with physical robotic platforms in real-world settings Strategic expansion: OpenAI's trademark filing reveals ambitious plans beyond its current AI offerings....
read Feb 5, 2025Ivo raises $16M Series A to automate contract review for lawyers
Legaltech startup Ivo has secured $16 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-powered contract review technology for corporate legal teams. Core technology and value proposition: Ivo's AI platform scans and analyzes legal contracts to identify problematic clauses and suggest revisions, streamlining the contract review process for in-house legal teams. The technology leverages generative AI to automatically identify clauses that deviate from standard terms or present unacceptable risks The system provides suggested revisions that human lawyers can review before returning to counterparties Ivo aims to balance protecting organizational interests while avoiding unnecessary changes that could delay negotiations Market traction...
read Feb 5, 2025Benefits, non-competes and AI policy: Navigating employment law in 2025
The fragmented U.S. employment law landscape in 2025 will create significant challenges for businesses operating across multiple states, particularly around noncompete agreements, paid leave, pay transparency, and AI regulation. The policy vacuum: With congressional gridlock and limited federal regulatory action, states are increasingly taking the lead on employment law creation and enforcement, resulting in a patchwork of varying and sometimes conflicting requirements. Republican control of Washington suggests reduced federal oversight and regulation of employment matters This regulatory void at the federal level has prompted increased state-level policy making The resulting inconsistencies create compliance challenges for multi-state employers Key regulatory focus...
read Feb 4, 2025Adobe’s new AI assistant will review your contracts in Acrobat
Adobe has launched a new contract analysis feature in its Acrobat AI assistant, offering automated contract review and comparison capabilities for $5 per month as an add-on to Adobe Acrobat. Core functionality; The AI assistant can now recognize, analyze, and compare legal contracts, even from scanned documents. The system automatically identifies key terms and summarizes contract contents Users can compare up to 10 contracts simultaneously to spot differences and discrepancies The tool generates suggested questions based on contract content Privacy and security measures; Adobe emphasizes user data protection in their AI implementation. Documents processed through the AI Assistant are protected...
read Feb 3, 2025How Anthropic and Thomson Reuters created an AI tool that lawyers actually trust
Thomson Reuters partnered with Anthropic to integrate Claude AI technology across its professional tools for lawyers and tax professionals, representing a significant deployment of AI in the legal sector. Core development details: Thomson Reuters created CoCounsel, an AI platform running on Amazon's cloud infrastructure that connects to their extensive professional knowledge base. The platform utilizes retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architecture to link Claude AI with content from over 3,000 subject matter experts The system draws upon 150 years of professional publications to inform its operations Amazon Bedrock provides the secure cloud infrastructure, ensuring protection of sensitive client data Technical implementation: Thomson...
read Jan 31, 2025US Copyright Office suggests the great AI copyright debate was actually settled in 1965
The US Copyright Office has issued new guidance maintaining that existing copyright laws are sufficient to handle AI-assisted works, while reaffirming that purely AI-generated content cannot be copyrighted. Key Framework: The Copyright Office bases its current AI copyright guidance on principles established in 1965 when officials first addressed computer-assisted creative works. Officials assert that questions about AI and copyright can be resolved using existing laws without new legislation The guidance stems from over 10,000 public comments and extensive analysis of AI-assisted creative works The fundamental position remains that works entirely generated by AI cannot receive copyright protection due to "insufficient...
read Jan 30, 2025California AG warns AI firms that most of what they’re doing is illegal
California's Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued legal advisories highlighting potential illegal practices in the artificial intelligence industry, particularly focusing on deception, false advertising, and discrimination. Key developments: The California Attorney General's office released two legal advisories on January 13th that outline various ways AI companies may be violating state laws. The advisories specifically address concerns about AI systems being used for deceptive purposes, including the creation of deepfakes and misleading chatbots Companies making false claims about AI capabilities or misrepresenting human involvement in AI systems could violate false advertising laws The guidance warns against AI systems that discriminate against...
read Jan 23, 2025LinkedIn faces class-action lawsuit for training AI models on user messages
Microsoft's professional networking platform LinkedIn faces a class-action lawsuit in California over allegations it used private messages to train AI models without proper user consent. Key allegations: A LinkedIn Premium subscriber has filed a lawsuit claiming the platform unlawfully shared private direct messages with third parties for AI training purposes. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Stored Communications Act, Breach of Contract, and California's Unfair Competition Law The plaintiff is seeking $1,000 in damages and additional potential relief LinkedIn has denied these claims, stating they are "false claims with no merit" Data privacy concerns: LinkedIn implemented an opt-out setting for...
read Jan 20, 2025Authors demand Meta’s AI training data in copyright lawsuit
Meta faces allegations of using BitTorrent to download and distribute pirated books for AI training, leading to new developments in an ongoing copyright lawsuit filed by authors. Core allegations: Authors including Richard Kadrey, Sarah Silverman, and Christopher Golden have filed a class action lawsuit against Meta for using their works without permission in AI training. Meta previously acknowledged using unofficial sources containing pirated content for AI training The company maintains that such use falls under fair use protection Meta denies that these allegations warrant updates to the original complaint New legal developments: United States District Judge Vince Chhabria has allowed...
read Jan 20, 2025AI disrupts news industry as publishers fight for control
The News Media Alliance, a major publishing industry lobbying group, is preparing legal action against a prominent AI company over alleged copyright infringement of publisher content used to train AI models. The core issue: The News Media Alliance (NMA), representing major publishers like Gannett, Condé Nast, and others, plans to file a complaint alleging unauthorized use of publisher content in AI model training. The upcoming legal action will demonstrate instances where AI models allegedly copied text without proper attribution or licensing The specific AI company targeted remains undisclosed, though existing licensing deals between NMA members and OpenAI suggest it may...
read Jan 19, 2025Why Congress must act now to change AI copyright law
Current legal landscape: The fair use doctrine and existing copyright framework, primarily based on the Copyright Act of 1976, are proving inadequate for addressing the unique challenges posed by AI training data. AI companies heavily rely on the fair use doctrine to defend their training practices, but this legal concept wasn't designed with machine learning in mind Courts analyzing fair use consider factors like transformative use and market impact, which may work against AI companies since their models create verbatim copies and could potentially replace original works The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 provided updates for internet-related issues but...
read Jan 17, 2025How DocuSign leverages AI to streamline business agreements
DocuSign is integrating artificial intelligence into its electronic signature platform to transform business agreements into dynamic, data-driven assets that can be actively managed and analyzed. The evolution of business agreements: Despite widespread digital transformation, contract management has remained largely static and inefficient until now. Traditional agreement processes involve creating documents that often get archived and forgotten, leading to missed opportunities and deadlines DocuSign CEO Allan Thygesen identifies lack of visibility into agreement contents as a major business challenge Current practices leave valuable contract information buried and unutilized AI-powered innovations: DocuSign's platform leverages advanced language models to extract, analyze, and act...
read Jan 16, 2025FTC refers Snapchat AI chatbot complaint to Justice Department
Snap Inc. faces potential legal scrutiny as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) refers concerns about its AI chatbot's impact on young Snapchat users to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Key development: The FTC has transferred a complaint against Snap Inc. to the DOJ regarding possible harmful effects of Snapchat's My AI chatbot on young users. The federal consumer protection agency indicated it found evidence suggesting Snap is either violating or on the verge of violating laws While specific details about the alleged harm were not disclosed, the FTC deemed the public announcement of this referral to be in the public...
read Jan 14, 2025Meta allegedly trained its AI models on pirated torrent content
Meta's use of pirated content from torrent sites to train its Llama large language model has been revealed through court documents, leading to copyright litigation. Key developments: Court documents in the "Kadrey et al. v. Meta Platforms" case have exposed internal communications suggesting Meta's use of unauthorized content for AI training. Novelists Richard Kadrey and Christopher Golden filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging Meta used their copyrighted works without permission Judge Vince Chhabria ordered the release of unredacted documents that were previously hidden from public view Internal communications show Meta employees expressing concerns about downloading torrented content on corporate laptops...
read Jan 11, 2025World Economic Forum shows how AI could create 78 million net new jobs by 2030, study finds
The World Economic Forum's latest Future of Jobs Report reveals AI could generate a net increase of 78 million jobs globally by 2030, with 170 million new positions created while 92 million are eliminated. Key findings: The WEF's analysis of 1,000 companies employing 14 million workers globally shows a complex transformation of the workforce driven by artificial intelligence adoption. Half of surveyed employers plan to reorient their business around AI technologies Two-thirds of companies intend to hire workers with specific AI skills 40% of businesses anticipate reducing their workforce in areas where AI can automate tasks Skills in demand: The...
read Jan 10, 2025Meta faces new lawsuit for using copyrighted books to train AI
Meta faces accusations of deliberately using pirated books to train its AI systems, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly approving the use of unauthorized content despite internal concerns. Key allegations: The lawsuit, filed by prominent authors including Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman, claims Meta knowingly used pirated books from the LibGen dataset to train its Llama language model. Internal Meta communications revealed that executives were aware LibGen contained pirated content The dataset was allegedly distributed through peer-to-peer torrents Documents produced during discovery suggest Zuckerberg approved the use of LibGen despite concerns from Meta's AI executive team Legal context: This case represents...
read Jan 9, 2025Apple defends data privacy practices amid Siri lawsuit
Key Development: Apple has responded to privacy concerns raised in a lawsuit about Siri by releasing detailed information about its data protection practices and settling the case regarding third-party grading concerns from 2019. Core Privacy Claims: Apple maintains a strict policy regarding Siri data usage and user privacy protection. The company explicitly states it has never used Siri data to create marketing profiles Siri data has never been made available for advertising purposes No user data has been sold to third parties for any purpose Technical Implementation: Apple prioritizes on-device processing to minimize data exposure and protect user privacy. Personalized...
read Jan 3, 2025Apple to pay $95M in Siri privacy lawsuit settlement
Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement following allegations that Siri recordings violated user privacy between 2014 and 2024. Key details of the settlement; The class action lawsuit, filed in 2019, covers customers who used Siri-enabled Apple devices over a ten-year period. The settlement awaits approval from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in Oakland, California Affected customers could receive up to $20 in compensation, though the final amount may be lower after legal fees Legal teams can seek up to $28.5 million in fees and $1.1 million for expenses Core allegations: Users claimed that Apple's voice assistant recorded private...
read Dec 30, 2024Can AI improve fairness in the British justice system?
As the British legal system grapples with overwhelming caseloads and limited accessibility, artificial intelligence is emerging as a promising solution to democratize justice, with pioneering initiatives already demonstrating how AI tools can drastically reduce document analysis time and help legal professionals serve more clients effectively. The current landscape: Access to justice remains out of reach for many British citizens due to prohibitive legal costs and complex documentation requirements. Legal aid is severely limited and means-tested, forcing many to abandon legitimate legal claims Complex cases like benefits appeals can involve analyzing up to 60 pages of documentation Traditional legal processes require...
read Dec 29, 20242025 laws to tackle AI in films, social media and politics
A wide range of new state laws will take effect in 2025, touching on everything from AI regulation to minimum wage increases and social media restrictions. AI and Digital Rights: California leads the way in regulating artificial intelligence's impact on entertainment and media, particularly regarding digital replicas and deepfakes. New legislation protects actors from unauthorized AI-generated replicas of their likeness The estates of deceased performers gain the right to pursue legal action against unauthorized AI representations Measures targeting political deepfakes on social media platforms face legal challenges Social Media Regulations: Multiple states introduce new restrictions and protections for social media...
read Dec 27, 2024Brookings investigates the constitutional constraints on regulating AI
Key constitutional debate emerges: As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent, lawmakers and legal experts are grappling with complex constitutional questions about how to regulate AI technology while respecting fundamental rights. Core regulatory frameworks: Current approaches to AI regulation fall into three distinct categories: existing regulations that apply to AI-related harms, new AI-specific rules governing usage, and regulations targeting the underlying AI models themselves. California Senate Bill 1047 represents one of the most comprehensive state-level attempts at AI regulation, requiring developers to demonstrate their models won't cause significant harm Traditional regulatory frameworks are being tested as AI presents novel challenges that...
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