Latest news with #AI-related
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Sues U.S. AI Startup over Use of Articles; Perplexity Allegedly Used Over 100,000 News Stories
Three Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper companies have filed a lawsuit against a U.S. startup company that allegedly used a large number of Yomiuri Shimbun articles and images for a generative AI-powered search engine without permission. The Yomiuri Shimbun; The Yomiuri Shimbun, Osaka; and The Yomiuri Shimbun, Seibu filed the lawsuit demanding that Perplexity AI, Inc. stop using the newspaper's articles and seeking damages of about ¥2.17 billion in the Tokyo District Court on Thursday. The three companies are under The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings. This is the first time a major Japanese media company has filed such a lawsuit, although several AI-related businesses in Europe and the United States have been taken to court for the unauthorized use of copyrighted material by generative AI. Established in 2022, Perplexity provides a search service that parses the latest online information to compile answers to questions typed in by users. A conventional search engine will display a list of websites related to the search terms entered by a user, but Perplexity pitches its service as an 'answer engine' that summarizes information gleaned online. This enables users to acquire information they want without looking through individual websites. In its lawsuit, The Yomiuri Shimbun claims that Perplexity copied articles from the Yomiuri Shimbun Online (YOL) digital service and sent answers with content similar to these articles to its users. The Yomiuri Shimbun claims this violated the right of reproduction and the right to public transmission under the Copyright Law. Perplexity allegedly acquired 119,467 Yomiuri articles without permission between February and June this year for the purpose of generating answers for its users. The Yomiuri Shimbun decided to seek damages of ¥16,500 per article, calculated based on a regular licensing fee. The amount of compensation being sought could increase depending on the findings of a further investigation. In addition, conventional search engines encourage users to visit the YOL service, which generates advertising revenue for The Yomiuri Shimbun. However, Perplexity's service results in fewer online visits to the YOL. The Yomiuri Shimbun claims that this is causing a drop in advertising revenue, which also constitutes an infringement of its business interests. About 2,500 reporters are involved in news coverage for The Yomiuri Shimbun. Consequently, the newspaper believes Perplexity has been getting a 'free ride' on the activities of a media organization that devotes 'great effort and expense' to creating news articles. The Yomiuri Shimbun also is seeking compensation for lost advertising income. In response to The Yomiuri Shimbun's emailed request for comment, Perplexity sent a message that said: 'We are deeply sorry for the misunderstanding this has caused in Japan. We are currently working hard to understand the nature of the claims. We take this very seriously, because Perplexity is committed to ensuring that publishers and journalists benefit from the new business models that will arise in the AI age.' In October 2024, Dow Jones, a division of News Corp., filed a lawsuit together with another company alleging copyright infringement by Perplexity. That case is pending in federal district court in New York. Perplexity has rejected the claims in that case and insists that its search function is based on publicly available facts that are not protected by copyright laws. Yomiuri warns of negative impact The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings' Corporate Communications Department issued a statement that said: 'Allowing a company to free ride on the results of our reporting would negatively affect our accurate news coverage backed by our research, and could undermine the foundations of democracy. We hope this lawsuit will raise questions about rules on the rapidly spreading use of generative AI and how it should be used and applied.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
India tech giant TCS layoffs herald AI shakeup of $283 billion outsourcing sector
By Sai Ishwarbharath B and Haripriya Suresh BENGALURU: Indian outsourcing giant Tata Consultancy Services ' decision to cut over 12,000 jobs signals the start of a broader AI-fueled trend that could end up eliminating around half a million jobs over the next two to three years from the $283 billion sector, experts said. While TCS pegged the move to shed 2% of its workforce to skill mismatches rather than AI-related productivity gains, experts viewed the largest-ever layoffs by India's top private employer as the beginning of things to come in the labour-intensive sector. Roughly 12,200 TCS middle and senior management jobs will be lost. The industry, which has played a crucial role in creating a middle class in India, is increasingly seeing AI being used for everything from basic coding to manual testing and customer support. The sector employed 5.67 million people as of March 2025 and accounted for over 7% of India's GDP. It has a huge multiplier effect due to the direct and indirect jobs it creates and the cars-to-homes consumption it drives in the world's fifth-largest economy. It has historically absorbed a majority of India's engineers but that will change as rising AI use ekes out more efficiencies and demands newer skills that many current employees lack, according to half a dozen industry veterans, analysts, and staffing firms. "We are in the midst of a massive transition that will transform white-collar work as we know it," said Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research founder and chairman Ray Wang, echoing other experts who warned that more layoffs are likely on the cards. The most vulnerable employees include pure people managers with minimal tech knowledge, those in charge of testing or identifying bugs and ensuring user-friendliness before delivering software to clients, and infrastructure management staff who provide basic tech support and ensure networks and servers are working well, experts said. "About 400,000 to 500,000 professionals are at risk of being laid off over the next two to three years as their skills don't match client demands," tech market intelligence firm UnearthInsight's founder Gaurav Vasu said, adding that about 70% of those layoffs would impact workers with 4-12 years' experience. "This (fear stemming from TCS layoffs ) may hurt consumer demand for tourism, luxury shopping and even delay long-term investments such as real estate," Vasu said. TCS and its peers Infosys, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, LTIMindtree, and Cognizant collectively employ over 430,000 workers with 13 to 25 years of experience, according to staffing firm Xpheno. "At the moment, they may appear like the big fat middle layer," Xpheno's co-founder Kamal Karanth said. None of the IT firms responded to Reuters queries seeking comment. "With cost optimization being the key driver for new deal wins, clients are asking for productivity benefits - a trend which is also growing due to the rise in AI adoption. This requires IT firms to do more work with the same number of employees or the same work with fewer employees," Jefferies analyst Akshat Agarwal said in a research note. ADAPT OR PERISH TCS, which had more than 613,000 workers before the layoffs, said in its late July announcement it was gearing up to be "future-ready" by investing in new technologies, entering new markets, deploying AI at scale for its clients and itself, and realigning its workforce model. It did not answer Reuters queries on how many layoffs were tied to AI adoption and why it could not redeploy the affected employees. "This is very devastating news," said a 45-year-old, Kolkata-based TCS employee affected by the latest layoffs. "It is very difficult for people my age to get new jobs." Some others who are still at TCS fretted over its mediocre performance bonuses for senior employees in recent quarters, a new "bench policy" that limits the time somebody could be without a project regardless of personal circumstances or past performance, on-boarding delays, and the emotional turmoil caused by the layoffs. "All these developments have tanked the morale of mid-career folks like me," a Pune-based TCS employee said. The Indian outsourcing sector has been a key employment engine since the 1990s, offering upward mobility to millions of engineers. But revenue growth has weakened recently as its clients, stung by inflation and U.S. tariff uncertainty, defer discretionary spending and demand better cost management. "The tech industry is at an inflection point, as AI and automation move to the very core of how businesses operate," industry body Nasscom said. During past tech revolutions, disruption was felt at the organisational level. "With AI, for the first time, the onus is on the individual to reinvent or re-skill themselves," former Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
India tech giant TCS layoffs herald AI shakeup of $283 billion outsourcing sector
By Sai Ishwarbharath B and Haripriya Suresh BENGALURU (Reuters) -Indian outsourcing giant Tata Consultancy Services' decision to cut over 12,000 jobs signals the start of a broader AI-fueled trend that could end up eliminating around half a million jobs over the next two to three years from the $283 billion sector, experts said. While TCS pegged the move to shed 2% of its workforce to skill mismatches rather than AI-related productivity gains, experts viewed the largest-ever layoffs by India's top private employer as the beginning of things to come in the labour-intensive sector. Roughly 12,200 TCS middle and senior management jobs will be lost. The industry, which has played a crucial role in creating a middle class in India, is increasingly seeing AI being used for everything from basic coding to manual testing and customer support. The sector employed 5.67 million people as of March 2025 and accounted for over 7% of India's GDP. It has a huge multiplier effect due to the direct and indirect jobs it creates and the cars-to-homes consumption it drives in the world's fifth-largest economy. It has historically absorbed a majority of India's engineers but that will change as rising AI use ekes out more efficiencies and demands newer skills that many current employees lack, according to half a dozen industry veterans, analysts, and staffing firms. "We are in the midst of a massive transition that will transform white-collar work as we know it," said Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research founder and chairman Ray Wang, echoing other experts who warned that more layoffs are likely on the cards. The most vulnerable employees include pure people managers with minimal tech knowledge, those in charge of testing or identifying bugs and ensuring user-friendliness before delivering software to clients, and infrastructure management staff who provide basic tech support and ensure networks and servers are working well, experts said. "About 400,000 to 500,000 professionals are at risk of being laid off over the next two to three years as their skills don't match client demands," tech market intelligence firm UnearthInsight's founder Gaurav Vasu said, adding that about 70% of those layoffs would impact workers with 4-12 years' experience. "This (fear stemming from TCS layoffs) may hurt consumer demand for tourism, luxury shopping and even delay long-term investments such as real estate," Vasu said. TCS and its peers Infosys, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Wipro, LTIMindtree, and Cognizant collectively employ over 430,000 workers with 13 to 25 years of experience, according to staffing firm Xpheno. "At the moment, they may appear like the big fat middle layer," Xpheno's co-founder Kamal Karanth said. None of the IT firms responded to Reuters queries seeking comment. "With cost optimization being the key driver for new deal wins, clients are asking for productivity benefits - a trend which is also growing due to the rise in AI adoption. This requires IT firms to do more work with the same number of employees or the same work with fewer employees," Jefferies analyst Akshat Agarwal said in a research note. ADAPT OR PERISH TCS, which had more than 613,000 workers before the layoffs, said in its late July announcement it was gearing up to be "future-ready" by investing in new technologies, entering new markets, deploying AI at scale for its clients and itself, and realigning its workforce model. It did not answer Reuters queries on how many layoffs were tied to AI adoption and why it could not redeploy the affected employees. "This is very devastating news," said a 45-year-old, Kolkata-based TCS employee affected by the latest layoffs. "It is very difficult for people my age to get new jobs." Some others who are still at TCS fretted over its mediocre performance bonuses for senior employees in recent quarters, a new "bench policy" that limits the time somebody could be without a project regardless of personal circumstances or past performance, on-boarding delays, and the emotional turmoil caused by the layoffs. "All these developments have tanked the morale of mid-career folks like me," a Pune-based TCS employee said. The Indian outsourcing sector has been a key employment engine since the 1990s, offering upward mobility to millions of engineers. But revenue growth has weakened recently as its clients, stung by inflation and U.S. tariff uncertainty, defer discretionary spending and demand better cost management. "The tech industry is at an inflection point, as AI and automation move to the very core of how businesses operate," industry body Nasscom said. During past tech revolutions, disruption was felt at the organisational level. "With AI, for the first time, the onus is on the individual to reinvent or re-skill themselves," former Tech Mahindra CEO CP Gurnani said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Hogs get slaughtered': Las Vegas CEO receives bloodied pig's head, threatening note in package with sinister message
A Las Vegas-based CEO reportedly received a bloodied pig's head and a threatening letter after an AI-related story about his company was aired on a popular television news segment. The incident is believed to be connected to his interview discussing the use of Artificial Intelligence in the real estate industry, according to multiple reports. Blake Owens, the founder of Agrippa , was branded a 'Clark Kent knockoff' and says he received the disturbing package at his home because his company released an ominous video in June. In the handwritten note, the person criticised Blake Owens ' use of AI and included personal insults, calling him a " Clark Kent knockoff ". The letter ended ominously, reading, "Don't get greedy because pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered". Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program ALSO READ: 'Stop the slide': Terrifying moment caught on cam as Royal Caribbean passengers scream when Icon of the Seas' slide shatters midway CEO receives bloody pig's head Owens, the 30-year-old resident of Las Vegas, revealed he discovered the bloodied carcass wrapped in packing paper and stuffed inside a cardboard box. 'Perhaps this person watched too much of The Godfather,' Owens said, as reported by 8 News Now. 'Needless to say, I still take it very seriously, but don't feel like I'm being truly threatened. It was a message.' Blake Owens said he did not expect to receive a dead animal in the mail on July 29, but the accompanying letter gave him a clue as to why it happened. The letter addressed to Owens, signed only with the initial 'M', read, 'saw your Marcus video, what a joke.' 'Clearly, you don't understand real estate wasn't built by developers or investors; it was built by brokers. We did it the hard way, no shortcuts, no tech, just people,' the letter said. Live Events 'Came home, was notified of this package, opened it up and sure enough it was a pig's head,' Owens told KLAS. 'Clark Kent knockoff, a simple Google search goes a long way these days, especially in Vegas,' the sinister note read. ALSO READ: $1,702 stimulus check in August: Last chance to apply for PDF closes soon. Check key dates, eligibility, tax implication Owens said he holds no ill will towards someone who seems to be going through a tough time. 'I don't want to punch down on this person; they may be in a tough spot in life,' he said. 'I do see this as an opportunity to show people you don't become a better person by making another man a lesser person.' Agrippa is an AI-powered, broker-free platform that connects commercial real estate capital seekers with capital providers, according to the company's website. The Las Vegas-based tech group champions itself as a firm that disrupts the status quo by challenging conventional practices and dismantling traditional barriers. ALSO READ: Battlefield 6 open beta starts this week: How to join, rewards and timings revealed What did the letter contain? The letter was signed off simply with 'M'. The package was mailed to Mr Owens' family home on July 29 and it warned Owens to enjoy his moment before signing off with a veiled threat. 'We did it the hard way, no shortcuts, no tech, just people. So enjoy your moment while it lasts. And don't get greedy because pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered,' the note read. Owens likened the eerie gift to 'The Godfather,' saying his sender had watched the 1972 film too often. 'Perhaps this person watched too much of 'The Godfather,' maybe would've expected a horse's head,' Owens said. ALSO READ: Epic Games store's massive update: You can grab $45worth in free games for a limited period of time The tech founder wasn't as worked up by the pig head because of the similarities it bore to the Oscar-winning movie. 'It felt a bit theatric to take perhaps too seriously,' Owens told the outlet. 'I understand what it's like to take hit after hit, so when you're in an industry that has taken some hits and AI comes along [and] threatens replacement, I understand they are going to react irrationally,' he said. 'To that person, I know they have my information, I'm happy to speak with them — perhaps over email instead of a mailed package, but whatever I can do to help people embrace change I think is what I'd like to do,' Owens said. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into the mysterious 'M,' KLAS reported.
Business Journals
a day ago
- Business
- Business Journals
Bay Area commercial real estate at a crossroads: Transactional activity, legal risk, and opportunities
Daniel Myers is a Director at Fennemore's Oakland and Walnut Creek offices and is Vice Chair of Fennemore's Real Estate practice group. We checked in with him for an update on the complex Bay Area real estate landscape, transactional volumes and legal issues affecting commercial real estate landlords, tenants and investors. Q: Can you provide an update on the general status of commercial real estate transactions in the San Francisco Bay Area? A: The Bay Area commercial real estate market remains in flux. Transactional volumes are slowly rising, particularly in the suburban areas of the East Bay, where pricing is more attractive. In addition, AI-related companies have been leasing up space in San Francisco and on the Peninsula. Nonetheless urban-core office assets continue to struggle with high vacancy rates and reduced demand. Q: Have the challenges facing landlords and tenants in this uncertain market improved? A: Yes, modestly. There is increased demand, and some landlords have adapted by offering more flexible lease terms, concessions, and tenant improvement allowances to attract and retain tenants. Hybrid work remains a challenge for traditional office space, but we are seeing increased leasing activity in restaurants and retail, especially in certain submarkets like Walnut Creek. Landlord and tenants are cautiously optimistic, but many are still wary of committing to long-term leases at current rental rates without exit flexibility. Q: Have the number of commercial real estate properties underwater improved and what opportunities are there for investors? A: While several hotels, office buildings and other commercial projects remain 'underwater' — meaning the value of the asset is less than the debt owed — lenders and borrowers are slowly progressing through workouts and restructurings. In Oakland, for example, investors have acquired debt positions in distressed assets, especially in office, hospitality, and mixed-use properties. Recent examples include the Oakland Marriott City Center Hotel, which was sold during a foreclosure auction last month, as well as several office buildings in downtown Oakland. Q: Are commercial real estate values starting to reset so that the recovery can begin? A: Yes, valuations are beginning to reset, particularly in the office and hospitality sectors, with some properties trading at discounts of 50% or more from pre-pandemic highs. This recalibration is critical for the market to clear and for lenders, investors, and developers to reengage with new projects. Because some properties are so far underwater, landlords cannot get funding from their lenders for tenant improvements allowances, upgrades or broker commissions making leasing deals impossible. While painful now, over the longer term the reset in the market will allow properties to be leased again. Q: Can you share some bright spots specifically in Oakland? A: Sure. It is exciting to see what is happening in downtown Oakland – particularly the emergence of alternatives to traditional office uses, which have the potential to bring hundreds, if not thousands, of people to downtown Oakland. The Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) recently acquired the former Dufwin Theater on 17th Street. The school is proceeding with an ambitious development plan to address student needs and provide additional outdoor facilities. In addition, Samuel Merritt University, the 115-year-old health sciences college, is close to completing construction on a new 10-story healthcare teaching facility on 11th Street in Oakland. Once completed, the building will bring hundreds of students to downtown Oakland to use the 250,000 square foot building, which will contain classrooms, offices, labs, healthcare simulation facilities and a research center. This will help restore vitality to the Broadway corridor, Frank Ogawa Plaza and the surrounding area. Q: How can commercial landlords make their buildings more attractive to tenants for lease? A: Commercial landlords need to be prepared to address tenant priorities concerning flexibility, sustainability, amenities and experience. In addition, landlords should be ready to answer questions from tenants relating to the financial strength of the building, as well as the need and process for obtaining any necessary lender approvals. Q: What things should commercial tenants think about when entering new leases in the current environment? A: Commercial tenants should consider the following to protect their interests when entering new leases: Obtain Non-Disturbance Protection from Landlord's Lender. Obtaining this protection is important to protect tenants. Without non-disturbance protection, if a lease is junior to financing, a foreclosure will terminate the tenant's lease, forcing the tenant to negotiate a new lease or move to a new location. If a tenant obtains non-disturbance protection, the lender agrees that, if it forecloses, it will not terminate the tenant's lease as long as tenant is not in default. Review the Landlord's Financial Health. Are the property taxes paid current? Is the building occupied and well maintained? Has the landlord faced prior defaults? It is key to do some basic due diligence on the landlord before entering into a lease. Require Tenant Improvement Allowance Protections. If a landlord is funding a tenant improvement allowance, the tenant should make sure the lease has offset rights if the landlord does not fully pay the allowance. For large tenant improvement allowances, unless the tenant is fully confident in the landlord's ability to pay, the tenant should consider having the landlord escrow funds or require the landlord and the landlord's lender to enter into a tri‑party agreement to ensure that the landlord (or the lender in the event of foreclosure) funds the tenant improvement allowance. Q: How can attorneys provide support in a market in a reset? A: In a transitioning market like the Bay Area—where foreclosures, distressed sales, and ownership changes continue to occur, the legal landscape is complex. Developers, investors, landlords and tenants must take proactive steps to work with experienced legal counsel who understands the legal complexities and market nuances necessary for continuity, protection and transactional success. Q: How is Generative Artificial Intelligence impacting your practice? A: We are only at the beginning, but I am already using AI every day to enhance my real estate practice and client service. At Fennemore, the firm is testing various Generative AI products to assist real estate and business attorneys in reviewing and drafting documents. It is amazing how fast the technology is changing and positively impacting our practice.
