Today’s Cache | Twitter’s new name has legal baggage; Generative AI boom complicates cloud computing; Adobe’s Figma deal may be investigated

The social media platform known as Twitter will be renamed X, announced owner Elon Musk this week [File] | Photo Credit: REUTERS

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Twitter’s new name has legal baggage

The social media platform known as Twitter will be renamed X, announced owner Elon Musk this week. However, the letter is so widely used and trademarked that a lawsuit against Twitter is inevitable, according to legal experts. Hundreds of companies have active U.S. trademark registrations for the letter, including Twitter rival Meta and software giant Microsoft. A lawsuit could be initiated if any of the brands feel that Twitter’s rebranding to X could lead to confusion for its own company or services. Twitter (X), Microsoft, and Meta are yet to make public their legal actions, if any.

Musk has floated the idea of an ‘everything app,’ like China’s WeChat, where entertainment, socialisation, and global payments are all covered by one application. However, he admitted earlier in the month that Twitter has lost around half of its advertising revenue.

Generative AI boom complicates cloud computing

The boom in generative AI technologies and tools this year has made cloud computing services more expensive, but companies are feeling pressured to continue along this path. To save their budget, Big Tech firms such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon are designing their own AI chips, with IBM perhaps set to join them soon. Out of these, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is trying to draw in potential customers for its cloud services by stressing on lower prices than its competitors.

Chipmakers and the cloud industry have benefited from the boom in AI in business, but rising hardware costs and a spike in demand continue to challenge companies trying to match the pace in growth. Some companies are choosing another route: letting a third party take over the management and maintenance of their cloud.

Adobe’s Figma deal may be investigated

Figma, the cloud-based platform for designers, is used by major companies such as Zoom, Airbnb, and Coinbase. However, the EU may investigate a $20 billion deal by Adobe to acquire it. Sources reported that an antitrust investigation for the deal may be expected after a preliminary review.

Adobe and the European Commission did not issue official statements about the legal proceedings. While Adobe stressed that it was working with regulators worldwide, the European Commission had earlier spoken against the deal, citing harm to healthy competition in the interactive product design sector.