Edition: August 23, 2026

A recent court ruling clarified that training AI models on copyrighted books can be lawful if the material is accessed from illegal sources, as the judge treated it like reading rather than copying, though a $1.5 billion penalty was imposed for piracy. The case highlights the murky intersection of outdated copyright law, fair‑use doctrine, and the massive scale of AI training, leaving authors and companies uncertain about future legal standards.

Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley urged a national compromise between privacy and safety as his company faces mounting criticism over alleged police misuse of its surveillance cameras, drones and license‑plate readers. Reports of officers using the technology for personal stalking have spurred bipartisan political backlash and calls for stricter regulation, while Flock has reduced data‑retention defaults but critics say the changes are insufficient.

A new AI model dubbed Ox Alpha, released on OpenRouter and praised by Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, has sparked intense speculation about its origins, with theories ranging from Chinese firm Z.ai’s GLM series to an unreleased Microsoft model. The provider remains anonymous, leaving the tech community divided over whether the model is Chinese or from another major player.

Linkdaze’s smart digital calendar is a touchscreen tablet that syncs multiple family members’ calendars from services like Google, iCloud and Cozi, and adds features such as chore tracking, meal planning and a photo frame. Its AI‑driven “Snap‑to‑Sync” meal planner can convert a photo of a recipe or lunch menu into a digital plan and shopping list, all without a subscription fee, positioning it as a low‑cost alternative to rivals like Skylight.