Close

Internet & Social Media Law Blog

Updated:

News of Note for the Internet-Minded (9/19/22) – Quantum Computing, a Meaningful Merge and AI All Over

In today’s News of Note, AI’s increased presence in traditional human roles stirs debate over the future of artists and actors, CISA advises organizations to develop cybersecurity plans for quantum computers, Atari moves into The Sandbox metaverse, and more. The new CHIPS and Science Act gives  quantum computing a boost.…

Updated:

The Merge: Ethereum’s Long-Awaited Overhaul May Be Imminent

Ethereum, the second largest blockchain-based platform by market cap, is tentatively scheduled to convert its consensus mechanism from proof-of-work (PoW), which incentivizes miners to solve mathematical puzzles to update the blockchain, to proof-of-stake (PoS), which makes decisions about updates through a vote among holders that have “staked” cryptocurrency that is…

Updated:

Ability of AI to Invent Struck a Resounding and Uncompromising Blow

Though we recently touched on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruling that only natural beings, which do not include artificial intelligence, can be an inventor under the U.S. Patents Act, the decision merits additional discussion. Defining artificial intelligence (AI) can be a challenging task due to…

Updated:

News of Note for the Internet-Minded (8/10/22) – DeepMind, DALL-E and Fractured Fingers

AI technology dominates the news cycle with news of DeepMind’s groundbreaking discovery of almost all structures of known proteins, an ethical dilemma prompted by a chess-playing robot that broke its young opponent’s finger, the artistic possibilities that DALL-E’s text-to-picture art tool may deliver, and more. The DOJ announces the extradition…

Updated:

No Brain, No Gain: U.S. Patent Inventors Must Be Human

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has agreed with the U.S. Patent Trademark Office (PTO) in holding that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be considered an “inventor” for purposes of obtaining patents. Computer scientist Stephen Thaler argued that his AI system “DABUS”1 (which he describes as a collection…

Updated:

The Black Box Conundrum: Go Weak or Stay Strong?

Even as artificial intelligence (AI) has become more commonplace and relied upon by businesses in different industries, it still faces criticism on whether it can be implemented in a safe and ethical manner and, related, how the bias often inherent in the underlying algorithms can be detected and reduced. Enter…

Updated:

Shining Light on the Algorithms in Your Company’s Black Box

Artificial intelligence has long since evolved from a technology with exciting potential to a near ubiquitous and integral component in the day-to-day conduct of many businesses. Take the automotive and aerospace industries—each is undergoing massive changes and movements toward more competitive, efficient and innovative uses of technology and AI in…

Updated:

FTC Will “Vigorously Enforce” the Law Against Companies That Fail to Protect Consumer Privacy

It’s no secret that every move you make on the internet can be tracked. Even when you are not actively searching, scrolling through a social media feed, or using your phone to navigate to a new local restaurant, your digital behavior can be tracked, analyzed, stored, marketed, and sold. But…

Updated:

Soulbound Tokens: Moving Away from the Hyper-Financialization of Digital Assets

Earlier this year, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, in cooperation with economist Glen Meyl and researcher Puja Ohlhaver, published a research paper on soulbound tokens (SBTs). SBTs are publicly visible, non-transferrable (but possibly revocable by the issuer) digital assets representing “commitments, credentials, and affiliations.” Buterin et al. have said that such…

Updated:

News of Note for the Internet-Minded (7/6/22) – Quantum Leaps, VR Tools and Cryptocurrency Tumult

From advancements in quantum teleportation to the possibility of intelligent digital twins and claims that Google’s AI is sentient, this week’s News of Note has sci-fi appeal, and more. Google offers more proof that traditional algorithms are no match for a quantum computer. (John Timmer, Ars Technica) Physicists at Delft…