IN FOCUS
In today’s newsletter, we look at:
- The legal battle between Figma and Singapore rival Motiff
- How Southeast Asia is dealing with genAI being used for financial fraud
Welcome to On the Rise! Delivered every Tuesday via email and through the Tech in Asia website, this free newsletter spotlights emerging startups and the biggest trends in the tech ecosystem. If you’re not a subscriber, get access by registering here.
Hi there,
I’ve noticed that there is often a rise in copyright infringement cases with the emergence of any new technological innovation.
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Apple battled with Microsoft over stolen intellectual property in the personal computer race. A decade later, when digital music became popular following the launch of MP3 players, Napster was targeted in several copyright infringement cases.
Today, in the age of generative AI, there has again been a spike in the number of copyright infringement cases, with many of them involving OpenAI. On Sunday, five Canadian news publications filed a lawsuit against the Microsoft-backed firm.
In our Big Story for today, my colleague Melissa writes about the copyright infringement lawsuit between US-based Figma and its Singaporean rival, Motiff, which offers genAI-based UI/UX design tools for product teams and software developers. Figma alleges that Motiff copied the former’s source code for the latter’s own product.
Figma is suing Motiff in Singapore and the US. The battle began in Singapore on Thursday with the case conference – a closed-door hearing – at the Singapore High Court. Millions of dollars could be at stake.
Besides copyright lawsuits, generative AI is also coming under the scanner for its use in creating deepfake clones for video calls that aim to scam people out of their money. In today’s Hot Take, I explore how the tech is used by cybercriminals, who are increasingly making Southeast Asia the base of their operations.
But first, the Big Story!
– Collin
BIG STORY
Figma sues Singapore rival for copyright infringement
Image credit: Made by Tech in Asia using Midjourney
Hot Take
Deep Reads
Emerging News
Save 85% on your presale tickets today
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
