AI × Law

New WIPO reports reveal a surge in AI patenting, with filings nearly doubling between 2024 and 2025. China remains the leader in patent families, and SoftBank has emerged as the largest single GenAI patent holder, underscoring the shift in competitive landscapes.

The rise of AI-generated software introduces a new patent liability where original code can infringe patented functionality without explicit copying. Traditional tools are ineffective, but AI-powered prior art and invalidity analysis are emerging as critical defensive strategies for enterprises.

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging the company made misleading statements about the performance and commercial viability of its AI products, including its Gemini AI assistant. The suit seeks to recover investor losses following a sharp decline in Microsoft's stock price after its Q2 2026 earnings report, which tied revenue projections to AI-driven cloud metrics.

A German court determined that using copyrighted song lyrics to train generative AI models without a license infringes upon German copyright law. This ruling provides a significant legal precedent regarding intellectual property rights in the context of AI development.

A recent court decision found that ChatGPT's generated outputs did not constitute copyright infringement or "memorization" of ANI's work. This ruling provides early judicial guidance on copyright liability for generative AI outputs.

Contrary to perception, AI litigation is moving at a normal-to-fast pace. A new study finds that most AI cases are too recent to have reached final verdicts, and landmark AI cases have resolved within 10-24 months—quicker than the median for securities class actions.

Proposed FRE 707 and 901(c), which address machine-generated evidence and deepfakes, were kept as study items by the Evidence Rules Advisory Committee and not advanced for final approval. The update clarifies that judges continue to rely on existing Rules 901, 702, and 403 to evaluate or exclude AI-altered evidence.

Legal technology and consulting provider Harbor Global has launched a new service that embeds specialist teams within law firms and corporate legal departments. The initiative aims to help legal organizations directly implement and integrate artificial intelligence into their operations.

Legal AI startup Aloi has secured €6.1 million from an undisclosed European VC and existing investors to prepare for a Series A and expand into the US. Founded by a former Roschier partner, the company's technology helps law firms activate their proprietary internal data and historical work product.

According to a report by Cornerstone Research and Stanford Law School, AI-related cases made up 13% of securities class action filings in the first half of 2026 but accounted for nearly 75% of alleged investor losses. The 15 AI-linked suits filed in six months nearly matched the 16 cases filed throughout all of 2025.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Perplexity's browser-based AI agent is a tool operating on behalf of users, rather than an entity directly accessing servers. The court vacated Amazon's preliminary injunction alleging Computer Fraud and Abuse Act violations, concluding that an AI tool acting on user instructions does not constitute unauthorized access by the developer under the CFAA.

Harvey AI has launched 'Email Harvey,' allowing lawyers to interact with the AI tool directly from their email inbox. This feature aims to streamline legal work by enabling users to send requests, generate documents, and receive answers without switching applications, with examples like summarizing regulatory updates or revising internal strategies.

Match Group is seeking a Principal, Applied AI Enablement, Legal, to develop and deploy AI-powered tools within its Tinder Legal team. This role focuses on building AI assistants and agents for legal tasks like research, contract review, and regulatory compliance, with potential for broader adoption across Match Group's legal departments.

Penguin Random House is hiring a Legal Counsel to advise on technology, AI, privacy, and corporate governance matters. The role involves drafting AI-related contractual provisions, developing AI governance policies, and monitoring evolving AI laws and regulations.

Nationwide is hiring a Senior Counsel specializing in AI and technology, a role heavily focused on advising on legal issues from AI deployment, managing regulatory risks, and supporting AI governance. This signals a growing trend of in-house legal departments building specialized expertise in AI to navigate emerging legal and ethical landscapes.

A new survey reveals nearly 70% of Am Law 100 firms increased AI and innovation investments by over 5% through Q2, with a quarter expecting a 15%+ rise by year-end. This spending surge, partly funding AI adoption, is seen as crucial for efficiency but could lead to greater client scrutiny on billing rates.

The New Zealand Law Society Library now provides members with access to AI-enabled research tools from LexisNexis (Argument Analyser), Wolters Kluwer (CCH iKnow Connect), and Thomson Reuters (Westlaw AI-Assisted Research). The library emphasizes user responsibility, including verifying AI-generated content, protecting client confidentiality, and understanding professional obligations when using these tools.

CASUS, a Swiss legal AI platform, released a comparative analysis of ten legal AI tools, including its own offering. The review assesses tools like Harvey, Legora, and CoCounsel based on factors such as firm size, jurisdiction, data protection, and working style, specifically noting data localization needs for Swiss firms.

Mitch Duncombe, a former Y Combinator lawyer, observed startups overpaying for legal work and has launched a new venture aimed at offering more cost-effective legal services. His startup intends to challenge traditional Big Law pricing models by leveraging technology.

Regbase, an AI-native legal research platform, completed Y Combinator's Spring 2026 program and secured an undisclosed seed funding round. The company helps law firms and businesses track global regulations, including those on obscure government sites and social media, aiming to automate complex compliance research.