Latest news with #intellectualProperty
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
James Bond owners say name battle is ‘assault' on 007 franchise
The owners of James Bond have called the attempt by an Austrian businessman to take control of the superspy's name across Europe an 'unprecedented assault' on the multibillion-pound global franchise. In February, the Guardian revealed that a Dubai-based property developer had filed claims in the UK and EU arguing that lack of use meant various protections had lapsed around James Bond's intellectual property, including his name, his 007 assignation and the catchphrase 'Bond, James Bond'. Nearly all of the nine trademarks being challenged relate to the merchandising of goods and services under the Bond name, which can be challenged after five years of 'non-use'. Josef Kleindienst, an Austrian who is building a $5bn (£3.7bn) luxury resort complex called the Heart of Europe on six artificial islands off Dubai, has argued the trademarks have been commercially under-exploited. Lawyers representing Danjaq, the US-based company which controls the rights to worldwide James Bond merchandising in conjunction with the UK-based production company Eon, have hit back, aiming to vigorously defend the 007 franchise. 'James Bond is a trademark of the highest reputation in the EU,' said Rudolf Böckenholt at Boehmert & Boehmert, one of the largest intellectual property (IP) law firms in Europe, representing Danjaq. 'The trademarks are also licensed for numerous consumer products and merchandise products, ranging from very luxurious products to everyday products, as well as further services. These goods and the corresponding services are covered by a number of trademarks that have been challenged and attacked by the claimant Josef Kleindienst in an unprecedented assault.' It has also emerged that Kleindienst has extended his attempt to try to take control of the spy's various brands by also submitting his own trademark for James Bond in Europe. He has not, however, done the same in the UK. The European IP law firm Withers & Rogers said this is likely to be because the 'intention to use test' that applications are submitted to is more stringently applied by the UK's Intellectual Property Office than its continental equivalent the EU Intellectual Property Office. 'Danjaq would be more likely to object to the registration [in the UK] on the grounds of 'bad faith',' said Mark Caddle, a partner and trademark attorney at Withers & Rogers. Danjaq's lawyers are putting together evidence to prove the trademarks are still being commercialised, while at the same time arguing that Kleindienst's 'non-use' challenges 'represent abuse of process'. Kleindienst was approached for comment. 'The plot thickens,' Caddle said. 'Opting for an 'abuse of use' defence suggests that Danjaq could believe that the cancellation attempt is not legitimate, and specifically, that the challenger may not be intending to use the marks commercially. While it is impossible to say for sure what the challenger's motives are in this case, the James Bond trademark portfolio and its legacy value does make it an enticing target for opportunists, and further cancellation attempts can't be ruled out.' Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Daniel Craig's last outing as 007, No Time to Die, was released in 2021 and with no announcement yet of his replacement or timeline for production of the next film, the franchise is on track to beat the previous longest gap between instalments of six years and four months. Danjaq also co-owns the copyright to the existing Bond films, along with MGM Studios, which was acquired by Amazon for $8.5bn in 2021. Days after the report of Kleindienst's legal challenges, it emerged that Amazon had paid more than $1bn to gain full 'creative control' of the franchise from Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, the longtime stewards of the Bond films. With creative control, Amazon now has the power to move forward with new films and potentially TV spin-offs, without approval from the two British-American heirs to the film producer Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli, who had overseen the integrity of the character originally created in 1953 by the author Ian Fleming. In March, Amazon confirmed that Amy Pascal and David Heyman would steer the next Bond film, although no release date or lead actor has yet been named. Pascal has experience with the Bond series in her previous position as Sony's chair of film, overseeing Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. She also had producer credits on the latest Spider-Man series. Heyman is best known as the producer of the Harry Potter films as well as the Fantastic Beasts franchise and is now in pre-production on the much-anticipated HBO TV series adaptation of the stories. He is the second most commercially successful film producer of all time, with credits including Gravity, Paddington, Barbie, Wonka and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
BBC threatens legal action against AI startup Perplexity over content scraping
LONDON: The BBC has threatened legal action against Perplexity, accusing the AI startup of training its 'default AI model' using BBC content, the Financial Times reported on Friday, making the British broadcaster the latest news organisation to accuse the AI firm of content scraping. The BBC may seek an injunction unless Perplexity stops scraping its content, deletes existing copies used to train its AI systems, and submits 'a proposal for financial compensation' for the alleged misuse of its intellectual property, FT said, citing a letter sent to Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas. The broadcaster confirmed the FT report on Friday. Perplexity has faced accusations from media organizations, including Forbes and Wired, for plagiarizing their content but has since launched a revenue-sharing program to address publisher concerns. Last October, the New York Times sent it a 'cease and desist' notice, demanding the firm stop using the newspaper's content for generative AI purposes. Since the introduction of ChatGPT, publishers have raised alarms about chatbots that comb the internet to find information and create paragraph summaries for users. The BBC said that parts of its content had been reproduced verbatim by Perplexity and that links to the BBC website have appeared in search results, according to the FT report. Perplexity called the BBC's claims 'manipulative and opportunistic' in a statement to Reuters, adding that the broadcaster had 'a fundamental misunderstanding of technology, the internet and intellectual property law.' Perplexity provides information by searching the internet, similar to ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, and is backed by (AMZN.O) founder Jeff Bezos, AI giant Nvidia (NVDA.O), and Japan's SoftBank Group (9984.T). The startup is in advanced talks to raise $500 million in a funding round that would value it at $14 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported last month.
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The hidden step most companies miss in their AI strategy
When I talk to executives about rolling out AI in their organizations, all conversations have a similar sentiment. Leaders say, 'We're going all in on AI,' only to follow up with, 'But don't let it touch any of our data.' This contradiction leaves teams wavering between ambition and caution, unable to act. This hesitation is understandable. After all, 'bad' data isn't just inconvenient—it's dangerous. The risks around privacy, data security, and corporate intellectual property are real. But if we want AI to drive better decisions, faster actions, and more personalized experiences, we need a new process: a way to prepare, trust, and govern the data we feed our models. That's where the AI data clearinghouse comes into play, a concept that I've been testing as I speak with Alteryx customers around the world. Think of it like a pre-flight checklist for your enterprise data. No matter how advanced the aircraft, pilots simply don't take off without running through numerous safety checks. In the same way, before your data 'takes off' into your AI environment, it gets inspected, validated, and approved. This shift turns AI from a boardroom buzzword into something teams can trust. HIDDEN COSTS OF BAD DATA To understand why a clearinghouse approach matters, let's look at what happens when organizations skip this critical step. Gartner reports that organizations will abandon 60% of AI projects unsupported by AI-ready data. And that's not surprising; even the most sophisticated AI can't transform bad inputs into valuable insights. These data problems cascade throughout an organization. They start small—perhaps a pricing recommendation that doesn't align with market realities or a customer insight that misses crucial context, but the ripple effects spread quickly. Consider the California car dealership whose AI system negotiated a $1 car sale. That's not just an amusing anecdote—it represents real dollars lost and trust eroded. The hidden costs multiply from there: decision paralysis as executives question every AI recommendation, expensive systems that gather digital dust, and perhaps most damaging, a cultural resistance that whispers, 'Maybe we should stick to spreadsheets and gut instinct after all.' That's why we need to approach AI implementation with data quality, not algorithm sophistication, as our north star. THE AI DATA CLEARINGHOUSE APPROACH How do we bridge this divide between AI ambition and data reality? Enter the AI data clearinghouse, a strategic framework that ensures only approved, accurate, and context-rich data powers your AI. Think of it not as another layer in your already complex tech stack, but as an essential trust-building solution that works alongside your existing CRM, ERP, and data lakes. This approach combines validation checks that catch problems early, business context layers that give meaning to raw numbers, cross-departmental approval workflows, and traceable documentation of data sources and changes. What makes this work is putting human expertise at the center. I saw this firsthand with a retail customer where the marketing and customer success teams defined 'churn' differently: one used the last engagement date while the other used the previous purchase date. Their AI model mistakenly flagged thousands of active customers as lost, triggering unnecessary reactivation campaigns that confused customers. What if curiosity about how your organization defines its metrics became the foundation of your AI strategy? Data preparation becomes an opportunity to create shared understanding rather than a technical hurdle. BUILDING TRUSTED AI FOUNDATIONS The journey to bringing the AI data clearinghouse to life in your organization begins not with technology, but with people. Before writing a single line of code, focus on building cross-functional teams that bring diverse perspectives. The most successful AI initiatives always start with genuine leadership buy-in. Only after establishing this collaborative foundation should you identify which business processes would benefit most from AI enhancement. Where could better decisions create the most value? Where do teams struggle with information overload or repetitive analysis? With clear objectives in place, focus on mapping the critical data sources that will fuel your efforts. This isn't just about identifying systems like Salesforce or Workday; it's about connecting with the people who truly understand what the data means. As you build your data workflows, weave in regulatory considerations from the start. GDPR and emerging AI-specific frameworks aren't checkboxes to tick off at the end. Rather, they are design principles that should shape your approach from day one. Perhaps most importantly, create feedback loops that allow your system to evolve. Effective AI implementations aren't static; they continue to improve as business needs change and teams discover new insights about their data. THE TRUST TRANSFORMATION Implementing AI is ultimately a trust exercise, and everyone in the company has slightly different motives. Executives want a competitive edge. Analysts want clarity. Compliance teams want control. And end users just want to be sure the answer they get is the right one. The companies that will succeed with AI aren't necessarily those with the most advanced algorithms or the biggest tech investments. Success will come to organizations that build thoughtful connections between their existing data environments and new AI capabilities.
News24
4 days ago
- Business
- News24
Basics of copyright: How to protect your intellectual property
Your work is protected from the moment it is created. Work that is original qualifies for copyright protection. South African law only protects expressions of ideas and concepts, not the concepts or ideas alone. ___________________________________________________________________ Understanding copyright rules isn't just about avoiding legal pitfalls – it's about protecting your creative work and leveraging it for business. We break down the essential copyright knowledge every budding entrepreneur needs. In South Africa, copyright is governed by the Copyright Act 98 of 1978, which protects original creative works. Unlike patents and trademarks that require registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), copyright protection is automatic in South Africa. 'Many entrepreneurs mistakenly believe they need to register their creative works to secure copyright protection in South Africa,' explains intellectual property attorney Janine Shultz. 'In reality, your work is protected from the moment it's created and fixed in a tangible form, provided it meets the originality requirement.' For a work to qualify for copyright protection in South Africa, it must be original (created through your own skill and effort, exist in material form (written, recorded, filmed, etc.) and be created by a South African citizen or resident or first published in South Africa. What can be protected under South African copyright law? South African copyright law specifically protects literary works (books, articles, website content, business plans); artistic works (paintings, photographs, logos, drawings); musical works (compositions, jingles); cinematograph films (videos, advertisements); sound recordings (podcasts, audio content); broadcasts and programme-carrying signals, and computer programs and software. 'Entrepreneurs often overlook the breadth of copyright protection,' notes digital rights specialist Mandla Zulu. 'Your business blog, customer testimonials, product descriptions, and even your unique course materials are all automatically protected by copyright.' What cannot be copyrighted? Similar to international standards, South African copyright law does not protect ideas and concepts (only their expression); information, facts, or data; methods or procedures; and names, titles or slogans (these may be eligible for trademark protection). Protecting your copyright 1. Practical protection steps Implement these strategies to safeguard your creative works: Mark all materials with a copyright notice: © 2024 [your company name]; all rights reserved; maintain documentation showing the development process and creation date; include copyright clauses in all contracts with employees and contractors; consider registering cinematograph films with the CIPC; implement digital protection measures for online content. 2. Monitoring for infringement Regularly check for unauthorised use of your materials in the South African market. Set up Google alerts for unique text content; conduct periodic online searches for your company name and products; monitor social media platforms popular in South Africa; and consider joining industry associations that track infringements. READ MORE | Activist Zulaikha Patel shares her journey of writing Brave Like Me 3. Enforcing your rights When you discover copyright infringement in South Africa, you have several options: Send a cease and desist letter: Often effective for stopping infringement. Consider alternative dispute resolution: Mediation can be less costly than litigation. Pursue civil action: Seek damages, an interdict (injunction) and delivery of infringing copies. Criminal proceedings: In cases of commercial infringement, criminal charges are possible. Using other's copyrighted work To legally use copyrighted material in South Africa: For entrepreneurs, understanding copyright is not merely a legal obligation but a business strategy. By protecting your creative assets through South Africa's copyright framework, you build a stronger foundation for your business while respecting the rights of others.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
AI And IP: How Companies Can Innovate Ethically And Responsibly
Olena Orliuk, Director of the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations. Currently, humanity is living in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Its main driving force is data. And working with large volumes of data is impossible without the use of various tools, the foremost of which is artificial intelligence (AI). Yet, along with new opportunities come challenges, particularly in the field of intellectual property. So, how can companies use AI systems not only effectively, but also ethically and responsibly? The size of the global AI market is growing by leaps and bounds: According to Precedence Research, it will grow from $638.23 billion in 2024 to about $3.68 trillion in 2034. These figures are quite expected, since another recent study, titled 'The Global Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Economy and Jobs' by IDC experts, claims that by 2030, every dollar spent on AI-based business solutions and services will generate $4.60 for the global economy, and the technology itself will account for 3.5% of the global GDP. Accordingly, 98% of business leaders consider its development a priority for their companies. As a result, AI systems are developing so fast that legal instruments intended to regulate their use remain several steps behind. Nevertheless, legal norms are also constantly being updated and adapted to current realities. A vivid example is the EU. In April 2021, the European Commission proposed a draft of the Artificial Intelligence Act, aimed at introducing a system of AI classification based on risks to users (minimal, limited, high, unacceptable). The AI Act itself, which became the world's first regulatory act in the field of AI, came into force in June 2024. (Note: Full compliance with certain provisions of the document requires more time, so those will take effect six to 36 months after the law takes effect.) Its main task is to lay a solid foundation for the growth of investment and innovation in AI systems. At the same time, the use of this technology must comply with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, which in particular includes intellectual property rights. In other words, AI must be safe, transparent, traceable, nondiscriminatory and environmentally friendly. But overregulation automatically means limiting the space for the development of technologies and AI-based business projects. This is a kind of dilemma for lawmakers. However, in the context of our topic, it is more important to focus on another dilemma: the need to balance the interests of IP rights holders, developers and users of AI. And this is where it gets most interesting since the AI Act does not contain specific provisions regarding IP rights. Overall, the document is limited to the requirement that AI systems comply with Directive (EU) 2019/790 on copyright and related rights, particularly in connection with the collection of databases necessary for training AI. The conclusion is unequivocal: While governments around the world continue to clash over numerous intersection points between AI and IP, companies must first and foremost rely on their own efforts. Ensure thorough protection of your data from scraping for the purpose of training generative AI, or at least limit access to confidential and sensitive information. For developers and users of AI-based projects, I recommend making sure to work only with open datasets. Additionally, comply with the legal requirements of the country in which you operate, as well as international treaties and agreements with third parties, particularly with owners of image/video libraries and databases, as well as representatives of the creative industries whose works may be used by AI. Any content created with the involvement of AI must be checked for IP rights violations before use, especially when it comes to a commercial context. That is, if your company plans to use an AI-generated asset—for example, for marketing or product design—then you must ensure this use is lawful. A joint study by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the AI community AI HOUSE and Roosh Investment Group has shown that Ukraine ranks second in the number of AI companies among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. To support developers in the difficult realities of full-scale war, our country has currently chosen the path of soft law. Primarily, we are focusing on creating tools that will help companies interact with AI on ethical principles. The Ukrainian IP Office (UANIPIO) is also actively involved in these processes. Together with a team of experts from various specialized agencies and organizations—primarily the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine—we have developed the 'Recommendations on the Responsible Use of AI: Intellectual Property Issues.' In addition, the IP Office has recently joined the Sandbox tool launched by the government of Ukraine, which will help implement and develop AI and blockchain startups. Thanks to this tool, projects will undergo expert review for safety, legal and standards compliance, patent purity and IP rights adherence. Finally, Ukraine has taken another important step in the field of IP rights: We are among the first countries to define a legal regime (sui generis) for AI-generated objects. As a result, in September 2024, UANIPIO registered copyright for the first time for works containing AI-generated images. At the same time, copyright protection is granted only to the part created by a human (in particular, poems and children's stories written by a person). Thus, in order to use AI effectively and ethically, companies must implement a systematic approach to intellectual property management. This includes compliance with legislative norms, the development of clear policies on IP rights and ensuring transparency in the use of data for AI training. Moreover, it is worth integrating legal risk assessment mechanisms and regularly engaging with IP professionals to stay up to date with the latest legislative changes. This is the key to minimizing legal risks and a reliable path to building trust among partners, consumers and investors. Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations. Do I qualify?
