Simply popping a prompt into ChatGPT and then submitting whatever it spits out won’t cut it—that’s true whether one is churning out a college essay or applying for US copyright protections.

A report from the US Copyright Office last week held that works created using AI—no matter how intricate the prompt—cannot be copyrighted without evidence of human creative contributions. The conclusion, an interpretation of existing copyright law, comes after nearly two years of review and thousands of public comments.

The report nodded to the growing use of AI tools in creative industries like film and music, but noted there must be “human control over the expressive elements” for copyright protections to apply.

“Whether human contributions to AI-generated outputs are sufficient to constitute authorship must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis,” the office wrote.

The Copyright Office, a division of the Library of Congress (and thus under control of the legislative branch), has been thrust into a spotlight since the rise of generative AI opened up a mess of questions around staid copyright laws.

But the office hasn’t deviated from its original stance that wholly machine-made art isn’t eligible for copyright.

Keep reading here.—PK

Want to connect?

Smartcar, which provides an application programming interface for connected cars, set out to answer that question with its 2025 State of Connected Car Apps Report, released earlier this week. The report, based on a survey of 1,000 consumers in the US and Europe, provides insights into “driver attitudes, behaviors, and expectations” around connected car applications––think products and services tied to auto insurance, shared mobility, EV charging, warranties, and vehicle maintenance.

Smartcar’s findings, per the report, “reveal a significant disconnect between the potential of connected car technology and its current adoption rates.”

“The demand and eagerness is there,” Smartcar CEO and co-founder Sahas Katta told Tech Brew.

“But the lack of apps and options and choice for consumers is creating a barrier to entry for consumers to justify the value of adopting these types of connected experiences,” he added. “If the automotive industry were to want to see an acceleration, we ideally believe they should be very open to opening the doors to developers, app creators, and innovators to build new experiences for their vehicle owners.”

Keep reading here.—JG

With US policy swinging away from support for EVs, adoption of the tech will be up to consumers now more than ever.

A new report from mobility tech company Verra Mobility offers some clues as to how prospective EV buyers in the US are thinking about the switch from fossil fuel-burning vehicles to zero-emissions ones.

Despite a recent demand slowdown, Verra’s survey of more than 2,000 Americans aged 25 and over found that 47% plan to buy an EV in the next five years, and 21% said they plan to buy one within the next two years. Plus, more than half said they’d go electric if cost weren’t a factor. The results reaffirm that many mainstream consumers are open to electrification, but might need more convincing than early EV adopters.

“Although there have been market indications that EV adoption rates are slowing down, our analysis indicates steady, albeit more cautious adoption and interest,” Steve Lalla, Verra Mobility’s EVP of commercial services, said in a statement.

“Our survey results echo what we have been seeing and hearing for the last year as we work with customers representing cities, rental car companies, fleets, and vehicle OEMs,” he added. “The overall message we continue to hear is, ‘it’s not if, but when’ EVs will constitute a much more significant share of vehicles on the road.”

Keep reading here.—JG

Ever wonder how automakers test their vehicles? Get a behind-the-scenes look at Ford’s cutting-edge tech that ensures every car performs in extreme conditions. From freezing temperatures to high-speed tracks, see how Ford is preparing vehicles for the real world, including the unique challenges of electric vehicles.