AI news ·
Google Settles $1.4 Billion Texas Privacy Lawsuits as UK Artists Challenge AI Copyright Plans and OpenAI-Microsoft IPO Talks Advance
Google will pay $1.4bn to settle Texas lawsuits over illegal tracking and biometric data collection. UK artists urge PM Starmer to rethink AI copyright reforms.
Google Settles $1.4bn Privacy Lawsuits in Texas
Google has agreed to pay $1.4 billion (£1.1 billion) to settle two privacy lawsuits filed by the State of Texas. The lawsuits, initiated in 2022 by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accused Google of tracking users without permission and collecting biometric data illegally.
The cases focused on allegations that Google violated state laws by harvesting location data, search histories, and facial recognition information without proper consent. The settlement resolves claims of deceptive trade practices and breaches of data privacy protections.
UK Creatives Push Prime Minister Starmer to Rethink AI Copyright Plans
Leading UK artists and cultural organizations, including Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Ian McKellen, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, have come together to challenge proposed AI copyright reforms. They have signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reconsider plans allowing AI developers to use copyrighted content without permission.
The group warns that these proposals threaten the creative economy by undermining copyright protections vital to artists’ livelihoods. They argue that unrestricted AI use of protected works would unfairly benefit a few powerful overseas tech firms, while weakening the UK’s position as a global creative leader.
Calling copyright the “lifeblood” of the creative sector, the signatories caution that such legal changes risk stalling growth and compromising the UK's cultural and economic independence amid fast technological change.
OpenAI and Microsoft Restructure Partnership Ahead of Potential IPO
OpenAI and Microsoft are renegotiating their multibillion-dollar partnership to facilitate a potential initial public offering (IPO). The talks focus on adjusting Microsoft’s equity stake in a new corporate structure, as OpenAI moves away from its non-profit beginnings.
Since 2019, Microsoft has invested over $13 billion (£10.3 billion) in OpenAI and remains deeply involved in governance and commercial decisions. The renegotiations also involve revisiting the 2019 agreement covering Microsoft’s access to OpenAI’s intellectual property, product plans, and revenue sharing.
These developments highlight how AI firms and tech giants are adapting their relationships to better position themselves for new market opportunities.