Intellectual property

ByteDance’s new AI video tool, Seedance 2.0, is facing intense backlash from Hollywood. Major studios, including Disney and Paramount, have issued cease-and-desist letters, alleging the platform infringes on copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses. The Motion Picture Association has demanded ByteDance halt “infringing activity,” citing massive unauthorized use of intellectual property. ByteDance has pledged to enhance safeguards to prevent misuse and respect creators’ rights amidst growing AI and copyright tensions.

A former Google software engineer, Linwei Ding, has been convicted of stealing trade secrets related to the company’s AI technology. Prosecutors alleged Ding acted on behalf of China’s government, downloading over 2,000 pages of confidential information about Google’s AI infrastructure. The verdict marks the first economic espionage conviction concerning AI technology in the U.S., underscoring intense global competition in the field. Ding faces significant prison time for his crimes.

Cabbacis has secured a new U.S. patent for its novel vaporizer pods, which contain blends of reconstituted tobacco and hemp. This patent, along with existing ones, strengthens the company’s intellectual property in the reduced-harm tobacco product sector. The pods aim to offer distinct taste profiles and utilize hemp as a non-intoxicating component. Cabbacis focuses on harm-reduction innovations, anticipating potential FDA regulations on nicotine content.

Datavault AI will showcase its technologies, including WiSA wireless audio and Events Citadel, at CES 2026. The company has significantly expanded its WiSA patent portfolio, now totaling 63, and is seeing increased demand from global OEMs like Klipsch and Bang & Olufsen. Datavault AI is also launching its WiSA Gen 2 software and integrating newly acquired patents for data-over-sound capabilities. The company, recognized in the S&P Semiconductors Select Industry Index, is a leader in AI-driven data monetization and digital engagement.

words.Palantir has expanded its October lawsuit to include Percepta AI’s CEO, alleging that the startup’s founders and a former Palantir engineer stole “crown‑jewel” assets—source code, customer workflows and proprietary strategies—by poaching senior staff and misappropriating confidential data. Percepta denies the claims, calling the suit baseless and accusing Palantir of intimidation. The case highlights rising tensions over talent mobility and IP protection in the AI sector, with Palantir seeking the return of data and a 12‑month injunction against the defendants. The dispute is pending in the Southern District of New York.

.Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and licensing over 200 of its iconic characters—including Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars—for use in OpenAI’s Sora video‑generation app under a three‑year deal. The partnership gives Disney equity warrants, access to ChatGPT for staff, and a new recurring revenue stream while allowing OpenAI to enforce tighter copyright controls. Disney sees the move as a way to monetize its IP in the fast‑growing AI market and shape future generative‑AI tools responsibly.

Light & Wonder faces a setback in its legal battle with Aristocrat as a Nevada court granted Aristocrat’s motion for discovery of Light & Wonder’s “hold and spin” game math models released since 2021. Aristocrat alleges Light & Wonder may have incorporated its proprietary algorithms. Light & Wonder maintains confidence that no Aristocrat math was used beyond previously identified games. The outcome of the litigation, with discovery concluding in 2025 and 2026, could significantly impact game development and intellectual property rights within the gaming industry.