Disney has terminated its planned $1 billion partnership with OpenAI, citing concerns surrounding the AI video tool Sora. While talks about alternative collaboration continue, the split follows heightened legal pressure on OpenAI and a shift in Hollywood’s focus to competing AI video apps. Disney has issued cease‑and‑desist letters to firms it accuses of using its intellectual property without permission, and has threatened legal action against companies it believes trained on its copyrighted works. The move reflects growing tension between traditional media owners and emerging AI technologies. Read more →

Anthropic is close to securing final court approval for a historic settlement that resolves claims that its Claude AI model was trained on pirated books. Nearly 100,000 authors have filed claims, and the company has agreed to pay a total of $1.5 billion, with $3,000 allocated to each qualifying work. The settlement includes a certification that no pirated content will be used in future Claude releases and a commitment to destroy existing pirated copies. The court is set to consider the final approval motion in late April, marking a significant milestone in AI‑related copyright litigation. Read more →

Generative AI is prompting a wave of copyright disputes as companies use large amounts of human‑created content to train models. Creators argue that many firms have incorporated copyrighted works without permission, leading to more than 30 active lawsuits. The U.S. Copyright Office maintains that fully AI‑generated images and videos are not eligible for protection, though AI‑edited works may be registered if creators disclose the AI contribution. Tech firms are pushing for a fair‑use exemption to avoid licensing fees, while industry groups and thousands of writers oppose such a carve‑out. Courts and regulators remain the ultimate arbiters of how copyright will apply to AI. Read more →

The Trump administration released a legislative blueprint that calls for Congress to protect minors using AI, limit state AI laws, avoid creating a new federal regulatory body, and address issues such as AI‑enabled fraud, copyright disputes, and electricity costs from data centers. The plan stresses age‑verification, limits on training AI with minors' data, and preempts states from imposing burdensome AI regulations while allowing enforcement of general child‑protection statutes. Read more →

The Trump administration unveiled a legislative framework aimed at creating a single, nationwide AI policy. The plan would centralize authority in Washington, preempting state AI regulations while emphasizing a light‑touch, innovation‑focused approach. It assigns greater responsibility for child safety to parents, calls on Congress to require platforms to add safeguards against sexual exploitation, and seeks to shield developers from state liability. Critics argue the proposal limits state experimentation and lacks clear enforcement mechanisms, while industry leaders praise the promise of a uniform national standard for startups. Read more →

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R‑Tenn.) has released a discussion draft for a federal AI bill that aims to codify a recent executive order on artificial intelligence. The draft proposes a duty of care for AI developers, stricter safeguards for minors online, protection of individuals' voice and visual likenesses, new transparency rules for AI‑generated content, reporting requirements on AI‑related job impacts, and an effort to end Section 230. It also addresses copyright concerns by stating that unauthorized use of copyrighted works for AI training does not qualify as fair use. The proposal signals the first major congressional step toward comprehensive AI regulation. Read more →

The UK government abandoned its earlier plan to let AI developers train models on copyrighted works without consent, after a strong outcry from musicians and other creators. The shift follows criticism from high‑profile artists such as Sir Elton John, Dua Lipa and Sir Paul McCartney, who warned that the policy would undermine creative ownership. While the government now says it has "no longer a preferred option" on the issue, officials say they will take more time to balance the interests of creators and the tech sector before any reform is introduced. Read more →