A group of YouTubers suing tech giants for scraping their videos without permission to train AI models has now added Snap to their list of defendants. The plaintiffs, internet content creators behind a trio of YouTube channels with roughly 6.2 million collective subscribers, allege that Snap has trained its AI systems on their video content for AI features like the app’s “Imagine Lens,” which allows users to edit images using prompts.The plaintiffs earlier filed similar lawsuits against Nvidia, Meta, and By ...

A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that the 2022 Tom Cruise blockbuster "Top Gun: Maverick" did not infringe a magazine article that inspired the original 1986 "Top Gun" film. ...

Core Viewpoint - The New York Times has filed a lawsuit against AI search startup Perplexity for copyright infringement, marking its second legal action against an AI company, as part of a broader strategy by publishers to negotiate compensation for the use of their content in AI products [1][8]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit claims that Perplexity provides commercial products that substitute for The Times without permission or remuneration [1]. - The Times alleges that Perplexity's retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) products generate responses that often reproduce original content verbatim or near-verbatim, including copyrighted works from The Times [4][6]. - The lawsuit seeks damages for the harm caused and aims to prevent Perplexity from using its content in the future [11]. Group 2: Industry Context - The lawsuit is part of a long-standing trend where publishers have historically sued new technology companies, from radio to social media, to protect their content [7]. - Other media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune, have also filed lawsuits against Perplexity, indicating a growing concern among publishers regarding AI's impact on original journalism [1][10]. - The Times has previously sent a cease and desist letter to Perplexity and has attempted to negotiate terms for content use over the past 18 months [7]. Group 3: Perplexity's Response and Initiatives - In response to compensation demands, Perplexity launched a Publishers' Program that shares ad revenue with participating outlets and introduced Comet Plus, which allocates 80% of its $5 monthly fee to publishers [2]. - Perplexity's head of communications stated that publishers have historically struggled to win legal battles against new technologies, suggesting a belief that the lawsuit may not succeed [7]. - The company has faced accusations from other outlets, including Wired and Forbes, regarding unethical content scraping practices [11]. Group 4: Broader Legal Landscape - The Times is also involved in ongoing litigation against OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming that they trained AI systems using its articles without compensation [8]. - A related case against Anthropic has set a precedent regarding fair use in AI training, highlighting the complexities of copyright law in the context of AI [9]. - The legal pressure on Perplexity is mounting, with multiple publishers and media companies pursuing similar claims against the startup [10]. Group 5: Potential for Collaboration - Despite the lawsuit, The Times has shown willingness to collaborate with AI firms that compensate for its content, having signed a multiyear deal with Amazon for content licensing [12]. - Other publishers have also engaged in licensing agreements with AI companies, indicating a potential path forward for monetizing content in the AI landscape [12].

Core Insights - Netflix is expected to report a revenue growth of 17%, an acceleration from the previous quarter's 16%, with EPS anticipated to grow by 29% [2] Group 1: Viewer Engagement and Advertising - Key items to watch include trends in viewer engagement, particularly after previous concerns, with optimism surrounding the success of "K-pop Demon Hunters" [3] - Analysts are looking for updates on Netflix's new ad platform and its partnership with Amazon ads, forecasting that ads will contribute to 30% of the company's topline growth through 2030 [4] Group 2: M&A Considerations - Netflix is among the potential buyers for Warner Brothers Discovery, with sources indicating interest from other companies like Comcast and Paramount [5] - Despite Netflix management previously downplaying M&A, shareholder conversations suggest support for a deal, particularly to secure new content and libraries [5][9] - The valuation disparity between Netflix as a tech company and traditional media companies raises questions about the financial sense of an acquisition [9] Group 3: Stock Performance - Netflix shares have remained relatively flat since the last earnings report in July, but the stock has increased over 60% in the past year, with 69% of analysts maintaining a buy rating [6]

Core Viewpoint - The legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja has filed a petition against Sony Music Entertainment India Pvt Ltd, seeking to restrain the company from exploiting his compositions in over 300 films across various digital platforms and demanding a detailed account of revenues generated since February 18, 2022 [1][7]. Legal Proceedings - Justice N Senthil Kumar has admitted the plea and directed Sony to file a counter by October 22, along with daily revenue reports from the exploitation of Ilaiyaraaja's works [2][7]. - The court was informed that no documentation has been provided to establish that Ilaiyaraaja relinquished any rights to his original musical works [2][7]. Copyright and Revenue Issues - The counsel for Ilaiyaraaja alleged that Sony is exploiting his works on digital platforms without adhering to the Copyright Act, which requires equal royalty sharing with the original creator [5][7]. - It was stated that Sony is generating substantial revenue from the digital exploitation of Ilaiyaraaja's works [5][7]. - Allegations were made that Sony has been publishing, modifying, and remastering the composer's original works without authorization [6][7].

Group 1 - Walt Disney, Comcast's Universal, and Warner Bros Discovery have jointly filed a copyright lawsuit against China's MiniMax [1] - The lawsuit alleges that MiniMax's image- and video-generating service Hailuo AI was built from copyrighted materials without authorization [1]

Group 1 - Warner Bros. is suing AI startup Midjourney for copyright infringement, claiming that Midjourney allows users to generate images and videos of characters like Superman, Batman, and Bugs Bunny without permission [1] - The lawsuit alleges that Midjourney has made a profit-driven decision to offer no protection for copyright owners, despite being aware of the extent of its piracy and copyright infringement [2] - Warner Bros.' lawsuit follows a similar lawsuit filed by Walt Disney and Universal against Midjourney for copyright infringement involving characters such as Darth Vader and Bart Simpson [3] Group 2 - The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, the return of profits earned from the alleged infringement, and a cessation of further violations [2] - Midjourney has argued that using copyrighted works to train generative AI models is legal under the fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright law [3] - Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit [3]

Security Incident - A stampede at the Metro Rail Station near Mercedes-Benz Stadium injured nine people as fans left Beyoncé's concert [1][2] - The stampede was reportedly caused by a person running and screaming, leading to an escalator malfunction [2] - A suspect stole Beyoncé's unreleased music and tour materials from choreographer Christopher Grant's car [3][4] Investigation and Legal Repercussions - Atlanta's transit authority is investigating the stampede incident [3] - Police are investigating the theft of Beyoncé's unreleased music and tour materials [3][6] - The thief could face criminal penalties for theft and civil penalties for copyright infringement [8] Industry Impact and Artist Concerns - The theft of unreleased music is a significant concern for artists, as it involves intellectual property [6] - Artists use copyrights and password protection to safeguard their music [5] - Despite the theft, Beyoncé received two Emmy nominations [9]

Legal Issue - A copyright infringement claim has been brought by Ethan Klein, an American YouTuber and podcaster, regarding whether reaction videos constitute fair use [1]

Core Viewpoint - Disney and Universal have initiated a copyright lawsuit against Midjourney, marking a significant legal confrontation between major Hollywood studios and generative AI technology [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit was filed in federal district court in Los Angeles, alleging that Midjourney has pirated the libraries of Disney and Universal to create and distribute unauthorized copies of their iconic characters, including Darth Vader and the Minions [2][8]. - The complaint describes Midjourney as a "quintessential copyright free-rider" and emphasizes that the use of AI does not exempt the company from copyright infringement [3][5]. Group 2: Company Response and Context - Disney and Universal claim that Midjourney has ignored their requests to cease infringing activities and to implement technological measures to prevent such image generation [6]. - Midjourney's CEO, David Holz, previously characterized the service as a "search engine" for images, suggesting that copyright concerns should evolve alongside human creativity [7][10]. - The lawsuit is part of a broader trend, with increasing legal actions against AI developers, including cases against OpenAI and Anthropic, and a notable trial involving Getty Images and Stability AI in London [12].