News-June-18-2026
June 18, 2026 — AI.Law filed a patent-infringement suit over AI-assisted legal-document drafting, Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed a federal public-ownership structure for large AI companies, Anthropic opened a Seoul office while reporting connected the launch to U.S. restrictions on access to its advanced models, and federal energy regulators ordered faster grid interconnection processing for large electricity users including AI data centers.[1][2][3][4]
Contents
[edit]- AI.Law sues Eve Legal over AI legal-drafting patent
- Bernie Sanders proposes public ownership fund for AI companies
- Anthropic opens Seoul office amid U.S. access restrictions
- FERC orders faster grid interconnections for AI data centers
AI.Law sues Eve Legal over AI legal-drafting patent
[edit]AI.Law sued Eve Legal and corporate owner Butler Labs Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging infringement of a patent covering AI-assisted document drafting.[1] The case was filed on June 17, 2026, assigned case number 3:26-cv-05930, and assigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse.[1] AI.Law relies on U.S. Patent No. 12,461,932 B1, which Lawyer Monthly described as covering methods for using artificial intelligence to convert unstructured material into long-form, properly formatted documents.[1] The dispute is significant because it may test how patent claims directed to AI-enabled legal workflows apply to competing legal-technology products used by law firms.[1]
See case page: www.ai.law Corp v Butler Labs Inc.
Bernie Sanders proposes public ownership fund for AI companies
[edit]Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed legislation that would create a sovereign wealth fund overseen by an independent commission and financed by a one-time 50% tax on the stock of large AI companies.[2] The proposal would apply to AI companies that reach $200 million in annual AI sales, including new companies that later meet that threshold.[2] Sanders estimated that the stock tax would create a nearly $7 trillion fund capable of generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually for direct payments to Americans and programs including health care, education, and housing.[2] The Associated Press reported that the bill would give the public ownership of half of the largest AI companies and direct influence over how those companies operate.[2] Significance: The proposal marks a federal legislative effort to regulate the distribution of AI-related economic gains through public ownership rather than only through safety, transparency, or liability rules.[2]
Anthropic opens Seoul office amid U.S. access restrictions
[edit]Anthropic said it opened a Seoul office and signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT to support safe and responsible AI adoption in the public sector.[3] UPI reported that the launch came after reporting that SK Telecom, South Korea's largest wireless carrier, had received access to Anthropic's Mythos model through Project Glasswing before that access was reportedly revoked at the request of the U.S. government.[3] UPI reported that Anthropic international managing director Chris Ciauri declined at a Seoul press conference to elaborate on Washington's restrictions, saying the company would not comment on Project Glasswing.[3] The Next Web reported that ENISA, the European Union cybersecurity agency, was due to meet Anthropic about Project Glasswing access and that the meeting had been arranged before the U.S. export directive complicated the talks.[5] Significance: The episode links advanced-model access controls, cybersecurity testing programs, and allied-government partnerships in a concrete implementation dispute over AI export and national-security policy.[3][5]
FERC orders faster grid interconnections for AI data centers
[edit]The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered regional grid operators to help large energy users connect more quickly to the U.S. electric transmission system, and AP reported that the order was aimed in part at accommodating surging demand from power-hungry AI data centers.[4] The order leaves states in control of retail electric rates, terms, and conditions while addressing interconnection delays for large loads.[4]
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lawyer Monthly, "AI.Law Sues Eve Legal and Butler Labs Over AI Patent" (June 18, 2026).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Associated Press, "Bernie Sanders unveils plan for public ownership of AI companies" (June 18, 2026).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 UPI, "Anthropic opens Seoul office amid U.S. AI restrictions" (June 18, 2026).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 AP News, "Grid operators are ordered to speed power to energy-hungry AI data centers" (June 18, 2026).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Next Web, "EU cybersecurity agency to meet Anthropic under a US export cloud" (June 18, 2026).