Tags: copyright

OpenAI has released its AI‑powered video creation app Sora for Android users in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The Android version mirrors the iOS app’s features, including the “Cameos” tool that lets users generate videos with their own likeness and a TikTok‑style feed for sharing. The rollout follows Sora’s rapid rise on iOS, where it topped charts and logged over a million downloads in its first week. OpenAI is positioning Sora against competitors such as Meta’s Vibes, TikTok and Instagram while addressing criticism over deep‑fake content and copyrighted material. Read more

OpenAI has released its text‑to‑video generative AI app, Sora, on the Google Play Store for Android users, while the iOS version remains limited to select markets and invitation‑only access. The Android launch quickly attracted a large user base, reportedly surpassing one million downloads within a few days. At the same time, the app has faced criticism for allowing disrespectful depictions of historic figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., prompting censure from the Japanese government over anime‑style copies. OpenAI also contends with a copyright lawsuit from Cameo and has introduced a new “cameo” feature that integrates existing personalities into AI‑generated videos. Read more

Meta has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the company illegally downloaded pornography to train its artificial‑intelligence models. The plaintiff, Strike 3 Holdings, alleges that Meta’s corporate IP addresses were used to torrent adult films over several years, and that a hidden network of IP addresses concealed the activity. Meta counters that the downloads were sporadic, likely for personal use, and that there is no evidence the content was used to train any AI system. The company asks the court to drop all copyright claims. Read more

A Japanese trade group representing publishers such as Studio Ghibli has asked OpenAI to stop using its members' copyrighted material to train AI models without permission. The request follows growing concerns that OpenAI’s products, including its image and video generators, allow users to create content that imitates protected works. CODA argues that under Japanese law prior permission is required and that the current practice could constitute copyright infringement. The move adds to ongoing debates in the United States and elsewhere about how AI companies may use copyrighted material for training. Read more

OpenAI is reportedly developing a new AI tool that creates music from text or short audio prompts. The effort involves students from the Juilliard School annotating musical scores, though the school says it is not officially part of the project. The proposed system would let users generate instrumental tracks, background music, or accompaniments tailored to specific moods or tempos. If released, the technology would compete with existing AI music platforms such as Suno and Udio and could trigger additional copyright disputes with record labels, building on OpenAI's earlier experiments with MuseNet and Jukebox. Read more

Reddit has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against AI search developer Perplexity and three data‑scraping firms—Oxylabs UAB, AWMProxy and SerpApi—accusing them of illegally harvesting Reddit content and violating the platform’s copyright protections. The complaint alleges the firms bypassed technical barriers, accessed billions of search‑engine result pages, and traced the scraped data back to Perplexity, which had previously received a cease‑and‑desist letter. Reddit, which hosts over 110 million daily active users and more than 22 billion posts and comments, has previously licensed its data to OpenAI and Google and has taken legal action against other AI companies over similar concerns. Read more

Artificial intelligence image generators have moved from a novelty to a core creative tool. Services such as OpenAI's DALL‑E 3, Leonardo AI, Canva's Magic Media, and Google's nano banana each offer distinct features, pricing models, and workflow options. Users are advised to choose the platform that matches their budget and skill level, craft detailed prompts, edit thoughtfully, and clearly credit AI‑created content. Legal and ethical considerations, including copyright training and model usage policies, remain important as the technology evolves. Read more

OpenAI has stopped users of its Sora video‑generation app from creating AI‑generated videos that feature the likeness of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after the estate reported a flood of disrespectful depictions. The move underscores tensions between generative‑AI companies and rights‑holders over control of public‑figure images. OpenAI said it believes families and authorized representatives should decide how a figure’s likeness is used, and it is working with the King estate to enforce those preferences. The decision arrives amid broader industry debates about copyright, opt‑out mechanisms for talent agencies, and ongoing legal scrutiny. Read more

Spotify announced a collaboration with the recording divisions of Sony, Universal and Warner to create new artificial‑intelligence‑driven music offerings. The partnership emphasizes artist‑centric agreements that protect copyright, ensure fair compensation, give creators a choice to participate, and strengthen fan‑artist engagement. Spotify also highlighted its ongoing AI tools, including an AI‑DJ feature and a spam filter aimed at reducing unauthorized AI‑generated tracks on the platform. Read more

Google announced the launch of Veo 3.1, the latest version of its AI video generator, now available to paying Gemini users through Flow, the Gemini API, and Vertex AI. The update adds asset‑combining tools, object insertion, extended clip length, and AI‑driven transitions between still images. The move comes as OpenAI promotes its Sora video model, sparking debate over deep‑fake risks and copyright challenges in generative media. Read more

Japan’s government has formally asked OpenAI to stop using Japanese manga and anime artwork in its AI models, citing concerns over copyright infringement. The request follows backlash against OpenAI’s video app Sora, which quickly became populated with AI‑generated content that the Cabinet Office says violates the country’s cultural treasures. Officials, including Minoru Kiuchi, warned that manga and anime are “irreplaceable treasures,” and the Cabinet Office has demanded OpenAI cease the infringing behavior. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the company’s debt to Japan’s creative output, while the firm faces criticism over its previous opt‑out policy for copyright holders. Read more

Japan’s government has asked OpenAI to stop using copyrighted anime and manga in its Sora video‑generation tool, labeling the content “irreplaceable treasures.” The request was made by a cabinet minister overseeing AI and intellectual property after numerous Sora‑generated clips replicated well‑known Japanese franchises. OpenAI has previously offered studios a way to opt out of training on their material, but the Japanese authorities are seeking clearer enforcement to protect the nation’s cultural assets. The move highlights ongoing tensions between AI innovation and copyright protection. Read more

ChatGPT celebrates its third year since launch, boasting around 800 million weekly users while still leaving billions of potential users untapped. The AI chatbot is widely adopted for work and personal tasks, offering capabilities such as answering questions, summarizing text, generating content, coding, and language translation. Despite its popularity, the technology faces legal challenges, including a lawsuit filed by Ziff Davis alleging copyright infringement. Users are reminded to verify information, as the model can produce errors or hallucinations. The service remains free with optional paid tiers for enhanced features. Read more

OpenAI’s new Sora 2 AI video tool has sparked a public confrontation with major Hollywood talent agencies. Agencies such as Creative Artists Agency argue that the technology threatens performers’ likeness rights and compensation, especially through its Cameo feature that can place a celebrity into AI‑generated clips. OpenAI has responded by outlining safeguards, including permission requirements for public figures and a process for estates to request removal of deceased individuals. The dispute highlights the clash between rapid AI innovation and the entertainment industry’s long‑standing emphasis on licensing, consent, and creator rights. Read more

OpenAI's Sora, an AI‑generated video app modeled after TikTok, has surpassed one million downloads in under five days, despite being limited to North America and requiring an invitation to use. Users can create short videos simply by prompting the Sora 2 model, and a Cameo feature lets them generate videos of themselves and others who consent. The app’s limited guardrails have already produced controversial content, including likenesses of public figures and copyrighted characters, prompting pushback from the entertainment industry. OpenAI has responded by adding user‑controlled options for likeness usage and plans to give rights holders similar controls, though the true level of active use remains unclear. Read more

A federal judge has approved a settlement that allows authors whose books were allegedly downloaded from LibGen and PiLiMi to train Anthropic's AI model to file claims for compensation. The settlement, valued at $1.5 billion, provides eligible copyright owners up to $3,000 per work. Claimants must verify their inclusion on the official works list, receive a notice with a unique ID, and submit a claim by the March 2026 deadline. The approval follows an initial hold by the court to ensure authors have sufficient time to participate. Read more

OpenAI announced updates to its invite‑only Sora app that give users more control over how their likenesses are used in AI‑generated videos. The changes let creators add keyword or scenario restrictions to their cameo profiles and make the watermark on downloaded videos more visible. The move follows criticism from copyright experts and recent legal challenges involving AI‑generated content. OpenAI’s head of Sora, Bill Peebles, said the company is also refining safety guardrails to reduce false negatives while addressing concerns from creators and rights holders. Read more

Character.AI has eliminated Disney‑owned characters from its chatbot library after Disney sent a cease‑and‑desist letter accusing the platform of copyright infringement. The AI companion service, which lets users create bots ranging from public figures to fictional personalities, previously listed characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Disney’s legal team argued that the presence of its marks violated copyright and could expose children to harmful content. Following the demand, searches for Disney‑owned icons now return no results, though other non‑Disney characters remain available. Read more

OpenAI has launched Sora, a new social platform that lets users generate AI‑driven videos featuring realistic likenesses of public figures, including CEO Sam Altman. The app’s feed is flooded with user‑created clips that place Altman in surreal scenarios, prompting discussions about copyright, consent, and the potential for misuse. While OpenAI touts safety controls and user‑managed cameo settings, critics warn that the technology could enable disinformation and raise ethical concerns about deepfake creation. Read more

Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the AI chatbot platform Character.AI, alleging that the service hosts bots that impersonate characters from Disney’s franchises, including Pixar, Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The letter accuses the company of copyright infringement and raises concerns about how underage users might interact with these bots. Character.AI has faced prior scrutiny over safety failures involving minors and regulatory attention from the FTC and state attorneys general. In response, the platform says it has removed the disputed characters, demonstrating Disney’s willingness to enforce its intellectual‑property rights against AI firms. Read more