A preliminary ruling by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has found Lenovo smartphones, including models from its Motorola Mobility division, infringe patents held by Ericsson. The decision, announced on Tuesday, centres on technology related to 5G wireless communications. If upheld, the ruling could lead to a ban on the import of affected Lenovo smartphones into the United States.
The dispute began last year when Ericsson filed a complaint accusing Motorola’s Moto G, Edge, and Razr phones of patent violations. Lenovo has denied these allegations. The ITC is expected to deliver its final verdict in April, leaving the potential ban looming over Lenovo’s operations in a major market.
This is not the only legal battle between the two tech giants. They are currently engaged in related lawsuits across South America, the United Kingdom, and North Carolina. Courts in Brazil and Colombia have already granted preliminary bans on Lenovo smartphone sales, though Lenovo has been pushing back, including a successful appeal in the US to revisit these enforcement measures.
With 5G technology at the heart of the dispute, the case underscores the high stakes involved in global telecommunications innovation and intellectual property rights. Both companies have so far declined to comment on the latest ruling.
Serie A has partnered with Meta to combat illegal live streaming of football matches, aiming to protect its broadcasting rights. Under the agreement, Serie A will gain access to Meta’s tools for real-time detection and swift removal of unauthorised streams on Facebook and Instagram.
Broadcasting revenue remains vital for Serie A clubs, including Inter Milan and Juventus, with €4.5 billion secured through deals with DAZN and Sky until 2029. The league’s CEO urged other platforms to follow Meta’s lead in fighting piracy.
Italian authorities have ramped up anti-piracy measures, passing laws that enable swift takedowns of illegal streams. Earlier this month, police dismantled a network with 22 million users, highlighting the scale of the issue.
Australia’s government is set to introduce new rules requiring major tech companies to pay Australian media outlets for news content. Companies such as Meta and Google could face millions in charges if they fail to reach commercial agreements with publishers. The Assistant Treasurer emphasised that the rules aim to foster fair negotiations, with charges applying only to platforms earning over $250 million in Australian revenue.
The proposed regulations follow previous efforts to hold tech firms accountable for news content. Laws passed in 2021 required firms to compensate publishers, leading to temporary disruptions on Meta’s platforms before agreements were reached. However, Meta announced it would end those arrangements by 2024, scaling back its promotion of news globally.
The plan has drawn criticism from tech companies, who argue that most users do not access platforms for news and that publishers willingly share content for exposure. Despite these objections, Australian media organisations, including News Corp, anticipate benefits. The government’s broader efforts to regulate Big Tech include banning under-16s from social media and targeting scams.
Australia’s bold stance continues to set precedents for handling global tech giants, adding to growing international scrutiny. News publishers are optimistic about forming new commercial relationships under the proposed framework.
HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray highlighted the evolving audiobook market and AI’s potential during the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. He praised Spotify‘s innovative approach to audiobooks, offering 15 free listening hours to Premium users, which he said attracted casual listeners and boosted HarperCollins’ revenue. Spotify’s wholesale distribution model also provides clear royalty structures for authors.
Murray acknowledged AI’s dual role as a threat and opportunity. Generative AI could flood the market with lower-quality content, but high-quality works may continue to thrive. He noted AI’s potential for streamlining marketing, translations, and audiobook production for niche markets, while also envisioning its use in adapting books for film or television.
Spotify, aiming to grow its global audiobook market, is testing family plan access. HarperCollins is closely watching these developments as both companies explore expanding their audiobook offerings and incorporating AI-driven solutions.
A former OpenAI researcher has launched WaveForms AI, a startup focused on creating emotionally engaging voice interactions using AI. Backed by Andreessen Horowitz, the company has raised $40 million and is now valued at $200 million, according to CEO Alexis Conneau.
Conneau, known for his contributions to OpenAI’s GPT-4o voice mode, played a key role in advancing realistic AI conversations. The technology impressed users with its real-time responses and ability to handle interruptions but became embroiled in controversy. OpenAI was accused of copying Scarlett Johansson’s voice from the film Her, which the company denied, stating a different voice actress was used.
WaveForms AI, co-founded by Conneau and Coralie Lemaitre, plans to use its funding to develop advanced audio AI models. These models aim to make voice interactions with AI feel indistinguishable from human conversation, focusing on emotional connections. Conneau highlighted the importance of audio for delivering human-like, empathetic responses in AI systems.
The startup envisions creating consumer products that redefine human-computer interaction. Conneau said the goal is to provide immersive, enjoyable experiences that prioritise the quality of interaction over superintelligence. Further product details remain under wraps.
Elon Musk’s social media platform X has introduced Aurora, an advanced image generation tool integrated into its Grok AI assistant. Aurora allows users to create photorealistic visuals and explore imaginative concepts. However, some users noted the tool briefly disappeared after its launch.
Aurora, accessible through X’s mobile and web apps, appears to have minimal content restrictions. It can generate images of public and copyrighted figures, though explicit and graphic content is reportedly limited. The tool is still in beta, with Musk promising rapid improvements. While Aurora excels in landscapes and still-life depictions, it struggles with more complex details, like human hands, a common challenge for AI-generated visuals.
The release follows X’s decision to make Grok free for all users, enabling broader access to AI-driven features. Meanwhile, Musk’s xAI team, which developed Aurora, recently secured $6B in funding and is working on further innovations, including Grok 3 and a standalone app.
A Rotterdam court is set to hold a pretrial hearing on Monday concerning a former Russian employee of ASML accused of stealing intellectual property from the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker. The suspect, a 43-year-old Russian national, allegedly profited by selling company manuals, including those of ASML’s Mapper subsidiary, to Russian buyers, according to Dutch media reports.
ASML, which acquired Mapper in 2019, confirmed its awareness of the case and said it had filed a formal complaint, declining further comment during ongoing legal proceedings. The suspect is reportedly in custody, though details of the arrest remain unclear.
Mapper, a Dutch firm focused on developing E-beam lithography technology, was integrated into ASML following its 2019 bankruptcy. While Mapper’s product did not succeed, its engineers joined ASML’s chip-measuring business, helping to bolster the company’s capabilities. This acquisition eased concerns about sensitive technology falling into foreign hands, a priority for both the Dutch government and the US military.
AI startup Perplexity has expanded its publisher partnerships, adding media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and The Independent. These new partners will benefit from a program that shares ad revenue when their content is referenced on the platform. The initiative also provides publishers with access to Perplexity’s API and analytics tools, enabling them to track content performance and trends.
The program, launched in July, has attracted notable partners from Japan, Spain, and Latin America, including Prisa Media and Newspicks. Existing collaborators include TIME, Der Spiegel, and Fortune. Perplexity highlighted the importance of diverse media representation, stating that the partnerships enhance the accuracy and depth of its AI-powered responses.
Backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Nvidia, Perplexity aims to challenge Google’s dominance in the search engine market. The company has also begun testing advertising on its platform, seeking to monetise its AI search capabilities.
Perplexity’s growth has not been without challenges. It faces lawsuits from News Corp-owned publishers, including Dow Jones and New York Post, over alleged copyright violations. The New York Times has also issued a cease-and-desist notice, demanding the removal of its content from Perplexity’s generative AI tools.
Cate Blanchett has voiced her concerns about the societal implications of AI, describing the threat as ‘very real.’ In an interview with the BBC, the Australian actress shared her scepticism about advancements like driverless cars and AI‘s potential to replicate human voices, noting the broader risks for humanity. Blanchett emphasised that AI could replace anyone, not just actors, and criticised some technological advancements as ‘experimentation for its own sake.’
While promoting Rumours, her new apocalyptic comedy film, Blanchett described the plot as reflective of modern anxieties. The film, directed by Guy Maddin, portrays world leaders navigating absurd situations, offering both satire and a critique of detachment from reality. Blanchett highlighted how the story reveals the vulnerability and artificiality of political figures once removed from their structures of power.
Maddin shared that his characters emerged from initial disdain but evolved into figures of empathy as the narrative unfolds. Blanchett added that both actors and politicians face infantilisation within their respective systems, highlighting parallels in their perceived disconnection from the real world.
Five Canadian news companies have launched a lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming its AI systems violate copyright laws. Torstar, Postmedia, The Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press, and CBC/Radio-Canada allege the company uses their journalism without permission or compensation. The legal filing, made in Ontario’s superior court, seeks damages and a permanent ban on OpenAI using their materials unlawfully.
The companies argue that OpenAI has deliberately appropriated their intellectual property for commercial purposes. In their statement, they emphasised the public value of journalism and condemned OpenAI’s actions as illegal. OpenAI, however, defended its practices, stating that its models rely on publicly available data and comply with fair use and copyright principles. The firm also noted its efforts to collaborate with publishers and provide mechanisms for opting out.
The case follows a trend of lawsuits by various creators, including authors and artists, against AI companies over the use of copyrighted content, and the Canadian lawsuit does not name Microsoft, a major OpenAI backer. Separately, Elon Musk recently expanded a legal case accusing both companies of attempting to dominate the generative AI market unlawfully.
