The Technology Platform

The UK Government has published its report on GenAI and copyright. The report confirms there will be no immediate reform to UK copyright law, with the previously proposed text and data mining exception with rights holder opt-out no longer the Government's preferred option. A consultation on deepfakes will be published this Summer and protection for computer-generated works is likely to be removed.

A global shortage of key components is forcing manufacturers to make difficult commercial decisions. Contracts drafted before the surge may no longer be viable, making pricing mechanisms and hardship clauses essential. Strategic planning and diversification can help reduce exposure.

The UK Supreme Court has handed down its much anticipated decision in Emotional Perception AI Limited v Comptroller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. The decision changes how patent applications and granted patents relating to artificial neural networks (ANNs), AI, and computer implemented inventions (as well as other categories) are to be assessed.

The EU AI Act imposes obligations on providers and deployers of AI systems in the EU, with the requirements differing depending on the role of the relevant business, and the type of AI system involved. Businesses applying their trade mark to someone else's AI system may find that, by doing so, they become a provider, as opposed to deployer, thereby making them responsible for more onerous compliance and regulatory obligations.

The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee has published a report on AI, copyright and the creative industries, unequivocally recommending that the Government rule out a commercial text and data mining exception with rightsholder opt-out, and instead adopt a 'licensing-first' approach that provides a framework for both the creative industries and the AI sector to thrive.

Recent and incoming changes to the legal landscape around remuneration and equity incentives make this an ideal time for brands to revisit their reward strategy for 2026 and beyond.

From Skilled Worker reforms to the proposed earned settlement system, 2025 marked a major shift in UK immigration policy. We review the changes and assess what lies ahead for 2026.

In January 2026, the UKJT (an "industry-led initiative, tasked with promoting the use of English law and UK's jurisdictions for technology and digital innovation") published a draft Legal Statement on "Liability for AI Harms Under English Private Law". This Legal Statement forms the basis for a public consultation on how English law can, and should, impose liability for losses caused by the use of AI.

The UK Patents Court has confirmed its jurisdiction to determine global RAND licence terms in Amazon v InterDigital, rejecting a wide-ranging challenge from InterDigital. The judgment also clarifies the limits of foreign anti-suit injunctions and the role of comity in multi-jurisdictional SEP disputes.

Mishcon de Reya today announced the appointment of four partners across its newly launched UAE offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, marking a major milestone in the firm’s international growth strategy and reinforcing its long-term commitment to the region.

Nina O'Sullivan has written an article for PDP journals summarising the current state of case law and policy developments around the use of copyright works to train GenAI models and the extent to which IP protection is available where GenAI models are used to create a work.