Source: Caixin Global

Caixin Global provides an in-depth analysis of the escalating legal and regulatory disputes surrounding copyright and artificial intelligence in early 2026. The proliferation of powerful AI models has triggered a "tidal wave" of digital content, leading to high-profile lawsuits from Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, record labels, and Hollywood studios. A notable case filed on December 22, 2025, involves journalists suing tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta for the unauthorized use of their works to train models, echoing broader concerns about the exploitation of human-created intellectual property.

The article explores a dual strategy emerging among media conglomerates: a combination of aggressive litigation and strategic licensing. For instance, Disney recently invested $1 billion in OpenAI to secure licensing for its video generation tool, while simultaneously accusing other firms of massive-scale copyright infringement. In China, the focus remains primarily on content governance and the labeling of synthetic media to prevent misinformation. Globally, courts and regulators are grappling with fundamental questions regarding the copyrightability of AI-generated works and the economic value of human labor in an increasingly automated world.