Microsoft

A judge is not too thrilled about the ACCC's bid for details of Microsoft's defence in a suit alleging the software giant duped millions of customers into upgrading to more expensive product plans, saying "it pains me the court has to take time" to hear the application.

Though previously acknowledging it "could have been clearer" Microsoft has hit back at claims it duped millions of customers into upgrading to more expensive product plans, saying its cheaper, 'legacy' plan was only available to subscribers who sought to cancel.

Microsoft is planning to invest a record $25 billion in Australia's AI and cyber infrastructure over the next three years.

Microsoft has offered to refund millions of customers who the consumer cop says unwittingly subscribed to its AI assistant Copilot without being told a cheaper AI-free option was available. 

Australian IP lawyers are closely watching The New York Times' copyright lawsuit seeking billions in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, but it remains to be seen whether Australia will become a favoured jurisdiction for similar suits or be left playing catch up, experts say.

The growing use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT could shake up the landscape of intellectual property laws in Australia, and novel questions posed by the technology are likely to be answered in the courts before regulators step in, lawyers say.

A judge has ordered Google and Microsoft to provide a social media influencer with identity information for a host of Gmail and Outlook accounts, after a months-long campaign of alleged malicious messages directed at the influencer’s business partners.