The United States Copyright Office made waves this week with a report saying AI companies might be breaking copyright laws when they use scraped data to train commercial AI systems. Their 108-page document argued that using huge amounts of copyrighted material without permission goes beyond fair use, especially when AI creations compete with original works. This report came right before President Trump unexpectedly fired Copyright Office leader Shira Perlmutter, raising concerns about political interference in tech policy. Tech billionaire Elon Musk and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey have pushed to remove IP protections, which artists call hypocritical since these leaders benefited from copyrights themselves.

Across the Atlantic, the UK government faced backlash over its new AI bill that could let companies use music, art and writing without clear permission. The music industry warned this would hurt artists' ability to earn from their work. Over 50 lawmakers proposed changes requiring AI firms to show exactly how they use copyrighted material, but the government blocked these rules four times. Creative groups argue this creates a free-for-all where AI companies can profit from artists' work without paying.

Major tech firms unveiled groundbreaking AI agent tools. Google's Gemini 2.5 replaces traditional voice assistants with a chatbot that handles complex tasks through conversation. Their new AI Mode in search lets users ask follow-up questions like talking to a human, while Veo 3 software can now make videos with matching soundtracks. Microsoft revealed that use of autonomous AI agents (programs that work independently) doubled in six months, with GitHub Copilot evolving into a self-directed coding assistant.

Energy experts raised concerns about the environmental cost of these AI systems, particularly for video and music generation tools requiring massive computing power. Artist unions highlighted the double standard where tech companies protect their own IP while arguing against protections for creative works. As AI becomes better at making art, music and writing, the battle over who controls creative ownership - humans or machines - reaches a critical point worldwide.