Thursday’s top tech news: Copyright and AI are a complicated mix

The US Copyright Office has judged that the AI-generated images used in a recent comic book cannot be copyrighted. But although it thinks the images aren’t the product of “human authorship,” it considers Zarya of the Dawn’s text and “selection, coordination, and arrangement of the Work’s written and visual elements,” to have been authored by human Kristina Kashtanova. I suspect there are going to be lots more cases like these as AI tools continue to become both more capable and more accessible.

Next up, Snapchat is adding new sound and audio tools as it attempts to compete with rival TikTok. There’s a sound recommendation system for its augmented reality filters, and another feature that can sync photos and videos to the beat of a song. You have to feel a little sympathy for Snapchat, which has often led the way in the popularization of new features like Stories and AR filters, only to see them explode in popularity on rival platforms.

Finally, it’s looking like the first Android manufacturer might be about to jump on Apple’s Dynamic Island idea for an upcoming smartphone. The device in question appears to be an unannounced “C-series smartphone” from BBK Electronics brand Realme. Are we about to see a repeat of 2018’s Android notch wars?

And now, here’s a silly TikTok to start your day:

Stay tuned, as we continue to update this list with the most important news of today: Thursday, February 23rd, 2023.