The hottest Intellectual Property Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Irony, Irony laced with Karma, and Terror

Marcus on AI • 9327 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. A recent tech blog post drew ridicule and shows how some commentary in the field can be overblown and ironic.
  2. A major AI company that pushed for broad copyright exemptions to train its models is now upset about others copying its IP, a hypocritical twist that feels like karmic irony.
  3. xAI reportedly gutted its safety organization to accelerate progress, and sidelining safety in a high-stakes AI race raises real and worrying risks.

The Non-Fungible Output Edition

Why is this interesting? • 1025 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Intellectual Property
  1. AI exposes the median: if a cheap model can reproduce your work, it isn’t unique, so creators must make things only they could make to keep value.
  2. Outlawing AI inputs confuses who made something with whether it’s good; what matters is whether the artist’s choices materially change the result beyond what AI could do.
  3. Worries about new tools are often protectionism for old business models; technologies change markets, but genuine creativity and passion find ways to persist.

MicroTimes Interviews Borland's Philippe Kahn Again (1995)

Computer Ads from the Past • 1152 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Build small, focused products that do the core job well — slim, fast software is easier to distribute, download, and use than feature-bloated suites.
  2. The future lies in combining communications with computing: lightweight personal communicators, pager hubs, and reusable component architectures make simple, synced messaging and organization practical.
  3. Big-company mistakes (feature creep, unfocused acquisitions, and neglecting developer tools) can be avoided by prioritizing software craftsmanship, empowering small teams, and defending compatibility and interoperability.

This is NOT my essay

Jeff Giesea • 279 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Using AI tools can change how we think about writing and creation. When we use apps to help us, it makes the process different from traditional writing.
  2. The idea of an original creation is becoming less clear. With many voices and influences in AI, it’s hard to say who truly owns the work.
  3. Collaboration with technology might be the new way to create. Instead of being solo artists, we are now partners with our tools, reshaping what creating really means.

PacBio To Pay Personal Genomics $23M+

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 16 Mar 26
💼 Business Intellectual Property
  1. PacBio agreed to pay Personal Genomics just over $23 million to license patents, settling a lawsuit and removing a legal threat.
  2. Those payments are spread over four years, so PacBio doesn’t have to pay the full amount up front.
  3. PacBio has about $279M in cash and is burning roughly $159M a year, leaving only about a year and a half of runway.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

OpenAI Cries Foul

Marcus on AI • 8655 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. DeepSeek might have broken OpenAI's rules by using their ideas without permission. This raises questions about respect for intellectual property in tech.
  2. OpenAI itself may have done similar things to other platforms and creators in the past. This situation highlights a double standard.
  3. There's a sense of irony in seeing OpenAI in a tough spot now, after it benefited from similar practices. It shows how karma can come back around.

The GPT 5.2 Release, Disney, and How Somehow These Two Are Related

Enterprise AI Trends • 84 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Major media companies are making equity and licensing deals with AI labs so their characters and franchises can be used inside consumer AI products.
  2. As model quality improvements become harder for users to notice, AI firms are increasingly buying exclusive IP and data access instead of just chasing benchmark gains.
  3. Those exclusive IP deals can shut rivals out and reshape streaming and studio battles, turning content ownership into a strategic moat for consumer AI.

PacBio Sells Short Read Tech To Illumina

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
💼 Business Intellectual Property
  1. PacBio sold its short-read sequencing assets to Illumina for about $50M, which is far less than what it paid acquiring Omniome and Apton.
  2. PacBio’s short-read products never gained traction and Onso sales were minimal, and recent layoffs suggest the development teams are largely gone.
  3. The deal only buys PacBio roughly six months of additional runway, and Illumina is likely to hold the IP rather than immediately use it to build new platforms.

Innovation Job Market Papers 2025 (2/2)

New Things Under the Sun • 48 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Innovation is highly geographically concentrated, and place-based policies like targeted R&D or industrial subsidies can raise growth, though the best approach depends on how technology interacts with local productivity and spillovers.
  2. The pace and pattern of technology diffusion hinge on human-capital and market frictions: worker mobility, training incentives, non-competes, and venture-capital funding shape how fast and widely new technologies spread.
  3. Institutions and regulations — including patent rules, exclusivity periods, financial development, and adaptive regulatory sandboxes — strongly shape firms’ incentives to innovate and the trade-off between protecting inventors and promoting broader technology diffusion.

Flavours of Creation

Fragmentary • 569 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Using copyright material to train AI requires proper authorization and compensation.
  2. Different countries have varying perspectives on intellectual property related to AI creation.
  3. AI does not inherently create, but rather replicates based on patterns and codes created by humans.

Google TPU V6 Designs are Probably in China

AI Research & Strategy • 237 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. A Google engineer was arrested for leaking important AI designs, which could have serious effects on the company's competitive edge. It's alarming that such sensitive information can be accessed so easily.
  2. Once Google discovered the employee's suspicious activity, they didn't act quickly enough. Instead of launching a serious investigation, they let him continue working for a bit, which gave him a chance to escape.
  3. This situation raises concerns about how other companies might handle security. If a major firm like Google has weaknesses, it makes you wonder about the safety of information in smaller firms and universities.

10 rules of IP brands

The Sociology of Business • 438 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
💼 Business Intellectual Property
  1. IP brands focus on monetizing their intellectual property through various means like merchandising, partnerships, and experiences.
  2. IP-focused retail brands position themselves at the intersection of fashion and popular culture, extending their brand beyond just products.
  3. Strategic rules for IP brands include interstitial storytelling, generating anticipation, creating repeatable narrative anchors, building fandom, and leveraging licensing for brand expansion.

Should you sell your words to AI?

In My Tribe • 516 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Selling your words to AI can be seen as a smart idea, especially if it helps share your insights with more people. It could lead to interesting discussions and a chance to educate others.
  2. Some believe that using AI this way could harm the trust between a writer and their readers. They think that real human connection is essential in writing and shouldn't be replaced by machines.
  3. Personal legacy matters a lot. For some, like older writers, having an AI that reflects their thoughts can be a way to continue sharing their ideas even after they're gone.

Patents and National Power

ChinaTalk • 370 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Patents are important for protecting inventors and fostering innovation. They give inventors exclusive rights to their creations, which encourages more people to invent and share new ideas.
  2. The U.S. patent system differs from other countries because it allows anyone to apply for a patent, making it more accessible. This has helped create a culture of innovation and economic growth in America.
  3. Recent changes in patent policies have made it harder for inventors to protect their ideas, which could slow down innovation. It's important for the U.S. to strengthen its patent system to maintain its leadership in technology and innovation.

Innovation Emergency with Trump 1.0's Patent Director

ChinaTalk • 237 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Intellectual Property
  1. China is now granting way more patents than the United States, which may indicate they're leading in innovation. This shift in patent dominance could be a warning sign for the US economy.
  2. There's a tension in patent law between protecting inventors and allowing the public access to innovations. Strong patent rights can encourage investment in risky new technologies, but if they're too strong, they can limit public access.
  3. US companies sometimes prefer to enforce patents in China because their courts can provide quicker and more effective rulings. This shows a potential weakness in the American patent system that could need serious reforms.

Accelerating American Scientific Enterprise

A Biologist's Guide to Life • 18 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
🔬 Science Intellectual Property
  1. Make grants faster, smaller, and easier by using short, sanity-check proposals and quick, staged payments so good ideas get funded fast and funders can adapt based on real results.
  2. End the traditional journal bottleneck and create a public platform for immediate researcher-led publication, using that system's metrics for hiring and funding to remove delays, costs, and points of sabotage.
  3. Reform intellectual property so scientists keep the majority of their inventions and share royalties with institutions, align business-developer pay with commercialization success, and tighten biotech patent rules with verifiable proof separating natural from engineered innovations.

Genopore Update

ASeq Newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 07 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. A recent website update aligns with earlier patent-based speculation about their nanopore protein-detection design.
  2. They published a new patent that adds technical detail and indicates continued development.
  3. Detailed discussion is locked behind a paid subscription, so full information is not publicly available.

Thomson Reuters wins early AI copyright case

The PhilaVerse • 123 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Thomson Reuters won a significant court case against Ross Intelligence for copyright infringement. They claimed Ross used their legal content without permission for AI training.
  2. The judge ruled against Ross, stating that their use of the content competed with Thomson Reuters and damaged their market value. This decision sets a strong precedent for future AI copyright cases.
  3. Legal experts warn that this ruling could make it harder for AI companies to argue fair use when using copyrighted material. It highlights ongoing concerns about how AI interacts with existing copyright laws.

Entrepreneurship, entre nous

Heterodox STEM • 128 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
💼 Business Intellectual Property
  1. Entrepreneurship is complex and can't be easily taught in schools. It's not just about making money; it involves creativity, risk-taking, and personal traits.
  2. Intellectual property rights are crucial for protecting new business ideas. Entrepreneurs need these rights to ensure their innovations are safe from theft.
  3. Current approaches to teaching entrepreneurship often mix social issues with business principles, which may confuse the true goals of innovation and success in the marketplace.

Why inviting others to steal your ideas can propel you forward

Bold & Open • 39 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
💼 Business Intellectual Property
  1. Creating unnecessary scarcity by holding tightly to ideas through patents, trademarks, and copyright can limit opportunities and hinder growth.
  2. Embracing piracy and copycats can lead to collaboration and new opportunities for growth by leveraging the attention and ideas they bring.
  3. Focus on making what is naturally scarce in your work the core of your offering, and build around it to create value and sustain your business model.

Is the EU falling behind the U.S. on right to repair? Also: Proposed patent rules could fuel repair restrictions

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Recent victories in U.S. push ahead in promoting right to repair laws, surpassing the EU.
  2. Proposed patent rules by the US Patent Office could strengthen corporate power, limiting protections for small businesses and individuals.
  3. The decentralized nature of US legislation allows for quicker implementation of laws, while the EU faces centralized bureaucracy and delays in adopting new rules.

Oxford's Legal Action Against MGI... Again.

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 14 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Oxford University is taking legal action against MGI over a nanopore sequencer, but their attempts have seen several ups and downs in different countries.
  2. Initially, Oxford sought materials from MGI, but a judge described this as a fishing expedition, suggesting they lacked solid evidence.
  3. There seems to be confusion as Oxford dropped their cases in the US and UK but is now pursuing something in Australia.

Gift Economies

David Friedman’s Substack • 161 implied HN points • 10 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Intellectual Property
  1. Gift economies are systems of exchange based on reciprocity and social obligation without explicit contracts.
  2. Gift economies can take various forms, like providing services without monetary compensation but receiving status or recognition as a reward.
  3. In gift economies, transactions are based on gifts rather than explicit trades, creating a different dynamic of value exchange.

Twist CEO Emily Leproust Supports Trump Tariffs

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Intellectual Property
  1. Twist CEO supports tariffs on DNA synthesis, arguing it protects intellectual property when companies send their DNA to competitors in China.
  2. The CEO believes non-domestic manufacturing is unfairly cheap, making it hard for American companies to compete, which plays into a broader political agenda around tariffs.
  3. Concerns about biosecurity and IP protection related to DNA synthesis are questioned, suggesting these arguments might be weak and focused on business interests.

2025: The Year Filk Broke

The Seat of Loss • 3 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🎭️ Culture Intellectual Property
  1. Filk began as a small, participatory folk tradition where fans rewrote and shared songs in circles, and artists like Leslie Fish embodied its DIY, outsider spirit.
  2. Fandom has shifted from a niche pastime to a mainstream cultural force that now drives popular music and media, with fan engagement and fan-made works powering hits and careers.
  3. Corporations and AI are industrializing fan creativity by licensing characters and tools, blurring the line between fanworks and official media and concentrating how fan content is created and distributed.

Can You Resell An Illumina Sequencer?

ASeq Newsletter • 29 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Illumina has faced accusations of anti-competitive behavior, especially towards companies reselling their sequencers. They reportedly pressured customers with high fees to avoid sales from third parties.
  2. The lawsuit between International Equipment Trading and Illumina ended in a settlement, leaving questions about legality unanswered. However, it appears Illumina has softened some of their policies regarding support for secondhand equipment.
  3. There's an increasing number of used Illumina machines for sale online, often with their software removed. Users wanting to reinstall the software might need to contact Illumina for assistance and potentially pay for a service contract.

This Friday: Symposium on Right To Repair

Fight to Repair • 59 implied HN points • 19 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. UC Berkeley Law School is hosting a symposium on The Emergent Right to Repair over two Fridays.
  2. The symposium will cover policy questions at the heart of the repair debate, such as the impact of restrictions on repair on competition and consumer benefits of open repair markets.
  3. Keynote speakers include Tim Wu and Senator Ron Wyden, discussing technology, competition, and legislation related to the right to repair.

Threading LLaMA

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Threads is not just a social media win for Mark Zuckerberg; it's also a big moment for LLaMA technology.
  2. The real competition isn't just about social media, but about advancements in artificial intelligence.
  3. Meta is facing accusations from Twitter about stealing trade secrets, highlighting the intense rivalry in the tech industry.

Will Oxford Nanopore Sue Roche?

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 25 Feb 25
🔬 Science Intellectual Property
  1. Oxford Nanopore has been actively suing companies like BGI without concrete claims of intellectual property infringement. This raises questions about their legal strategy.
  2. Roche might also face issues if they used Oxford's sequencers, especially since there are user agreements involved that they might have overlooked.
  3. Oxford Nanopore has a history of using the hairpin duplex approach, which led to legal disputes in the past. It will be interesting to see if their current patents hold up against previous art from competitors.

Let's stop keeping Pantone relevant. Adobe can disappear along with it.

The 21st Century Proletarian • 19 implied HN points • 04 Nov 22
🪑 Design Intellectual Property
  1. Question the necessity of traditional industry standards like Pantone and Adobe in the digital age. Consider alternatives and challenge the status quo.
  2. Empower individuals to create their own color systems and liberate design from corporate influence. Encourage innovation and free access to color.
  3. Advocate for a design revolution by rejecting outdated, overpriced software, and working towards a more inclusive and progressive design community.

Digital Gardens as a Service

Aliveness Studies • 13 implied HN points • 26 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Intellectual Property
  1. Intellectual labor online is not rewarded well right now. People like Gwern Branwen, who provide deep insights, often struggle to earn a decent income.
  2. Current platforms favor quick, flashy content over thoughtful, long-term ideas. A new platform is needed that supports ongoing intellectual work and gradual idea development.
  3. The ideal solution would be a user-friendly platform that enables writers to create, share, and monetize evolving essays without the hassle of technical challenges. This could help cultivate more in-depth thinkers.

Nanopore Startup? Lunar Biosciences

ASeq Newsletter • 29 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🔬 Science Intellectual Property
  1. A new nanopore sequencing company, Lunar Biosciences, is hiring for a CSO position.
  2. Despite limited public information, funding from Fapon suggests Lunar Biosciences is legitimate.
  3. Lunar Biosciences may be following a similar sequencing approach to companies like Qitan, possibly due to expired IP opportunities.