Snap is currently facing a new lawsuit in California, filed by a group of YouTubers on January 28, 2026. They allege that Snap used their copyrighted videos, sourced from datasets like HD-VILA-100M intended only for academic use, to train AI models for its Snapchat "Imagine Lens" feature without permission. This legal action places Snap among a growing number of tech companies facing similar copyright claims in US courts.
Meanwhile, major AI platforms are investing heavily in advertising to build consumer trust and counter concerns about "AI slop." Companies such as OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Google collectively spent over $473 million on AI ads last year, including Super Bowl spots. This significant expenditure aims to create a positive public image and highlight AI's benefits, addressing issues like job loss fears, inaccurate AI content, and data privacy concerns.
In the financial sector, HSBC AI Markets is transforming trading with its AI and Natural Language Processing platform, rolled out to institutional clients in 2023. This system provides real-time data and insights, particularly crucial for fast-moving Asian markets, and enables users to "chat-2-trade" for FX deals. Separately, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink expressed confidence that there is no AI bubble, emphasizing AI's vast potential to transform science, medicine, and energy, while noting the need for hundreds of billions in infrastructure investment, including energy grids.
On January 27, 2026, Way launched its Experiential Ecosystem, featuring AI-powered products like Curation Lab, Loyalty Sync, and Partner Exchange. These tools help brands manage unique experiences, enhance customer loyalty, and foster collaborations, with the company having raised over $22 million since its 2020 founding. Concurrently, Symmetry Systems announced new Data+AI security tools on January 28, 2026, expanding its reach to on-premise systems like IBM AS/400, DB2, and Nutanix. This helps large businesses secure sensitive data across various environments and comply with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, reducing risks when training AI models with old data.
The software development landscape is also seeing shifts, with developer Geoff Huntley demonstrating his "Ralph Wiggum" loop on January 27, 2026. This script uses agentic AI and Anthropic's Claude Code service to clone commercial software efficiently, costing around $10 an hour. In the music industry, Napster relaunched on January 28, 2026, with a focus on AI music, offering a chatbot for music generation and AI clones. CEO John Acunto criticized major labels, stating they are "dead" to the future of music, following Napster's acquisition by Infinite Reality last March for $207 million. Additionally, PureCars will showcase its new AI-powered platform at NADA Show 2026, designed to help car dealerships boost sales and service by using AI and customer data for personalized marketing.
Key Takeaways
- Snap faces a lawsuit from YouTubers for allegedly using copyrighted videos from academic-only datasets (HD-VILA-100M) to train its Snapchat "Imagine Lens" AI.
- Major AI companies, including OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Google, spent over $473 million on advertising last year to build consumer trust and address concerns about "AI slop."
- HSBC AI Markets, rolled out in 2023, provides institutional clients with AI and NLP tools for real-time data, "chat-2-trade" FX deals, and market analytics.
- BlackRock CEO Larry Fink believes there is no AI bubble, emphasizing the need for hundreds of billions in infrastructure investment, including energy grids, to support AI's transformative potential.
- Way launched an AI-powered Experiential Ecosystem, including Curation Lab, Loyalty Sync, and Partner Exchange, to help brands manage experiences and improve customer loyalty, having raised over $22 million.
- Symmetry Systems expanded its Data+AI security tools with connectors for on-premise systems like IBM AS/400, DB2, and Nutanix, enhancing data protection and compliance for large enterprises.
- Developer Geoff Huntley created the "Ralph Wiggum" loop, using agentic AI and Anthropic's Claude Code service, to clone commercial software for approximately $10 an hour.
- Napster relaunched with a focus on AI music, offering a chatbot for music generation and AI clones, with CEO John Acunto criticizing major labels.
- PureCars will showcase its new AI-powered platform at NADA Show 2026, designed to help car dealerships increase sales and service through personalized customer engagement.
- Infinite Reality acquired Napster for $207 million last March and is expanding into metaverse and AI ventures, including the Station kiosk and Napster View holographic display.
YouTubers Sue Snap Over AI Training Data Use
On January 28, 2026, Snap faced a new lawsuit in California regarding its AI training. A group of YouTubers claims Snap used AI datasets beyond academic limits. This lawsuit adds Snap to a growing list of tech companies facing similar claims in the US courts.
YouTubers Sue Snap for Using Videos to Train AI
A group of YouTubers filed a lawsuit against Snap in a California court. They claim Snap used their copyrighted videos without permission to train AI models for its Snapchat "Imagine Lens" feature. The YouTubers say Snap used datasets like HD-VILA-100M, which are only for academic use. They are asking for money and a court order to stop future copyright violations. Popular channels like _h3h3_, _MrShortGame Golf_, and _Golfholics_ are part of this lawsuit.
AI Companies Spend Big on Ads to Build Trust
On January 28, 2026, AI platforms are investing heavily in major brand advertising, including Super Bowl ads, to combat a trust problem and concerns about "AI slop." Companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Google spent over $473 million on AI ads last year. Consumer trust is low due to issues like job loss fears, inaccurate AI content, and data privacy. Despite this, companies aim to create a positive image and show AI's benefits. The IAB also released a framework for AI transparency in advertising.
HSBC AI Markets Transforms Trading with New Tools
HSBC AI Markets is changing how financial trading works by using AI and Natural Language Processing. This platform gives traders quick access to real-time data and insights, especially important in fast-moving markets like Asia. Conceived in 2018 and rolled out to institutional clients in 2023, it helps hundreds of buy-side institutions. The system combines HSBC's own market data and research with a natural language chatbot, allowing users to "chat-2-trade" and execute FX deals. It also offers dashboards for FX volumes and analytics to help with market volatility.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Sees No AI Bubble
Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, believes there is no bubble in the AI space. He sees AI as a huge opportunity that will transform many areas. Fink highlighted the need for hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure to support AI, including rebuilding energy grids. He also thinks AI will greatly advance science, improve medicine, and help find new, cheap sources of power. While some failures will occur, Fink expects major winners in the AI revolution.
Way Launches AI Tools for Experiences and Brand Loyalty
On January 27, 2026, Way announced its new Experiential Ecosystem with AI-powered products. These tools help brands manage and offer unique experiences, improve customer loyalty, and create partnerships. The ecosystem includes the Core Platform, Curation Lab for AI-powered experience design, Loyalty Sync for connecting experiences to loyalty programs like World of Hyatt, and Partner Exchange for brand collaborations. Way aims to help companies increase revenue and customer engagement through experiences. The company, founded in 2020, has raised over $22 million.
Symmetry Systems Boosts Data AI Security On-Premise
On January 28, 2026, Symmetry Systems announced new tools to improve Data+AI security for large businesses. The company added connectors for systems like IBM AS/400, DB2, and Nutanix. This expands its "get everywhere" approach to secure data across cloud, SaaS, hybrid, and on-premise setups, including airgapped networks. Symmetry Systems helps companies find, classify, and protect sensitive data, manage access, and meet compliance rules like GDPR and HIPAA. This also helps reduce risks when using old data to train AI models.
Developer Clones Software Using AI for Ten Dollars an Hour
On January 27, 2026, developer Geoff Huntley created a script called the "Ralph Wiggum" loop. This script uses agentic AI and Anthropic's Claude Code service to create high-quality software very cheaply. Huntley showed how it could clone commercial software for about $10 an hour, much less than a developer's salary. He believes this method could change software development by letting AI assistants do more work. Many startups, including those in Y Combinator, are now using this approach.
PureCars Shows AI Tools for Dealership Growth at NADA
PureCars will demonstrate its new AI-powered platform at NADA Show 2026 in Las Vegas from February 3-6. The company will be at Booth #3551W to show how its tools help car dealerships grow sales and service. The platform uses AI and customer data from various sources to find serious buyers and send them personalized messages. PureCars aims to help dealerships understand customers better, improve marketing, and increase profits.
Napster Shifts to AI Music and Criticizes Major Labels
On January 28, 2026, Napster relaunched with a focus on AI music and other AI products. CEO John Acunto stated that major labels are "dead" and do not serve the future of music. The new Napster app, available on iOS and Android, features a chatbot for generating music and allows users to create AI clones of themselves. Infinite Reality acquired Napster last March for $207 million and is expanding into metaverse and AI ventures like the Station kiosk and Napster View holographic display. Napster emphasizes that creators on its platform own their generated music.
Sources
- Snap faces new AI training lawsuit in California
- YouTubers Hit Snap With Lawsuit Over AI Training Of Copyrighted Videos
- Facing ‘AI slop’ and a trust problem, AI platforms invest in Super Bowl-level brand ads
- HSBC AI Markets: Taking trading to the next level
- BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Says He Believes There’s No Bubble In AI
- Way Unveils Experiential Ecosystem with New AI-powered Products for Experience Curation, Loyalty, & Brand Partnerships
- Symmetry Systems Cements Leadership in Modern Data+AI Security for Enterprise On-Premise Environments
- 'Ralph Wiggum' loop prompts Claude to vibe-clone commercial software for $10 an hour
- PureCars to Showcase How Advanced AI and First-Party Data Drive Dealership Growth at NADA 2026
- Napster Is Doing AI Music Now — and Still Taking Shots at the Major Labels
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