Intangiblia™

• The Legal Salsa: Protecting Dance One Step at a Time

  Choreography copyright exists in a fascinating legal gray area where cultural ownership and legal protection often clash. When Alfonso Ribeiro attempted to claim rights to his iconic "Carlton Dance" from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air after Fortnite used it as a purchasable emote, his case was dismissed because the Copyright Office deemed the routine "too simple" - just three basic dance steps without sufficient originality. This ruling sparked crucial conversations about what makes dance protectable.The landscape shifted dramatically when choreographer Kyle Hanagami sued Epic Games over a four-count hook from his registered routine appearing in Fortnite. When the Ninth Circuit reversed an initial dismissal in 2023, they delivered a game-changing perspective: "Reducing choreography to isolated poses is like reducing music to single notes." This recognition that even short sequences could embody original expression opened new possibilities for dancers seeking protection.We explore how this legal evolution continues with Kelly Heyer's ongoing battle against Roblox for monetizing her viral "Apple Dance" without permission. With platforms earning substantial revenue from choreographic content, questions of fair compensation and proper licensing have never been more urgent. Meanwhile, international cases reveal how different jurisdictions approach dance protection - from China's rejection of single-pose copyright to Brazil's emphasis on proving tangible harm.Through these stories, we distill five crucial principles governing choreography copyright: basic movements remain freely available to all; originality exists in arrangement rather than individual steps; even short sequences can qualify for protection if distinctive enough; evidence of harm matters as much as creativity; and courts continually seek balance between creator rights and cultural freedom. As dance moves from stages to avatars in the metaverse, these principles will shape how we value and protect movement in the digital age.Ready to dive deeper into intellectual property's fascinating frontiers? Subscribe to Intangiblia and join our exploration of the ideas that shape our creative landscape.Send us a textSupport the show

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• From Prototypes to Rockets: The Power of Design Thinking and First Principles Thinking

  Get the book!The greatest innovations often begin with a simple question: "What if we tried this differently?" In this fascinating exploration of innovation mindsets, we unpack the two complementary approaches that fuel breakthroughs—design thinking and first principles thinking.hese very approaches are at the heart of my book Protection for the Inventive Mind, a practical fieldbook that helps inventors and creatives turn frustrations into prototypes and big ideas into protected strategies.From the Wright brothers' wind tunnel experiments at Kitty Hawk to SpaceX landing rockets upright, we trace how returning to fundamental truths allows inventors to rebuild solutions from scratch. These stories show first principles thinking as the "logic scalpel" that cuts through assumptions and tradition to reveal new possibilities.Alongside this analytical approach, we discover design thinking—the "empathy engine" that powers human-centered innovation. We see how watching an arthritic woman struggle with kitchen tools birthed OXO Good Grips, how children's tears transformed hospital MRI machines into pirate ships, and how PillPack revolutionized medication management by truly understanding patient frustrations.The episode reveals surprising connections between seemingly unrelated innovations. The kingfisher bird's perfect dive inspired Japan's bullet train nose design. Velcro emerged when a Swiss engineer examined burrs stuck to his dog under a microscope. These moments of biomimicry demonstrate how nature offers solutions to our most persistent challenges.What's particularly inspiring is how often world-changing ideas emerge from everyday annoyances—James Dyson's 5,000 vacuum prototypes, IKEA's flat-pack revelation from a stubborn table that wouldn't fit in a car, and Airbnb's humble beginnings with air mattresses on an apartment floor. These stories prove that frustration can be billion-dollar inspiration when viewed through the right lens.Ready to apply these mindsets to your own challenges? Listen for five actionable innovation principles distilled from these remarkable stories, and discover how combining empathy with fundamental thinking can transform not just products, but experiences, systems, and culture itself. Whether you're sketching on a napkin or aiming for the stars, the way you think might be your greatest invention yet.Send us a textSupport the show

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• AI, IP, and the Public Good

  Get the book!Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming central to areas such as public health, education, agriculture, and climate resilience. In this context, the role of the State is coming into sharper focus, particularly in how governments can shape innovation to serve broad social goals. Intellectual property frameworks, often seen as tools for exclusivity, are being repurposed to support inclusive access and public benefit.This special episode of Intangiblia was recorded as part of my participation in the workshop “The Role of the State in Advancing Equitable Access to AI,” taking place in Oxford in September 2025. Organized by Sumaya Nur Adan and Joanna Wiaterek, and supported by the Future of Life Institute, the event brings together legal scholars, policymakers, and technologists to examine how States can ensure that the benefits of AI are equitably shared.The episode explores five legal and policy mechanisms that are already influencing how AI is governed through intellectual property. It discusses Canada’s ongoing efforts to map and license Crown-owned patents under a broader national strategy. It examines Singapore’s copyright reforms, which have introduced clear legal exceptions to support AI model training. The conversation also includes examples of culturally aware AI development, such as the open-source Falcon model in the UAE and community-led Indigenous data initiatives in New Zealand. It looks at how public interest licensing and voluntary IP pools are evolving in fields beyond health, and how state-led initiatives, such as public procurement and open research mandates, are being used to align technological development with social needs.The episode also reviews recent legal rulings in the United States that have tested the limits of fair use in AI training. These include the 2024 decision involving OpenAI, the 2025 dismissal of claims against Meta, and the Bartz v. Anthropic case presided over by Judge Alsup, which underscored the difference between statistical pattern recognition and direct reproduction of copyrighted works.Rather than focusing solely on restrictions or incentives, the discussion emphasizes how IP law can serve as a strategic governance tool. By adapting legal frameworks to current challenges, States can guide AI innovation toward inclusive outcomes and help ensure that technological advancement remains aligned with the public good.Send us a textSupport the show

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• AI vs. Human: The Invention Showdown

  Get the book!What happens when artificial intelligence challenges humans for the invention crown? We dive into this provocative question by examining real-world examples where AI has revolutionized fields from drug discovery to furniture design.The evidence is compelling. AI systems have accelerated medical research, discovered antibiotics against resistant bacteria, identified new molecular patterns, and generated creative designs faster than humans could imagine. Yet every breakthrough required human direction, interpretation, and implementation. As we explore this partnership, the podcast reveals a fundamental truth - innovation isn't humans versus machines but humans with machines.The legal landscape adds another dimension to this discussion. We unpack the fascinating "Davos Saga," where Dr. Stephen Thaler's attempt to list his AI system as an inventor on patent applications met resistance worldwide. Courts in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Switzerland all reached the same conclusion: under current law, only natural persons can be inventors. This global consensus reflects the view that AI remains a sophisticated tool rather than an autonomous creator deserving legal rights.For inventors navigating this evolving landscape, emotional barriers often prove as challenging as technical ones. That's why we introduce the powerful "Fear Setting" exercise from my book "Protection of the Inventive Mind." This practical technique helps transform anxiety into action by confronting worst-case scenarios, developing safeguards, and planning recovery strategies. Download the worksheet from our website to experience how quickly your innovation fears diminish when systematically addressed.Whether you're a human inventor seeking to harness AI's capabilities or simply fascinated by the intersection of technology and creativity, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of innovation. Subscribe now and join us in exploring how the most powerful inventions emerge when human intuition meets algorithmic intelligence.Send us a textSupport the show

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• Influencers, Inc.: Chasing Clout, Creating Clones

  Reimagining Intellectual Property in the Age of Luxury Tech: I’m curating this exclusive side event in Geneva on September 1 during the Luxury Innovation Summit. Limited seats, apply now to join the conversation.On this episode, we discuss how the explosive growth of the influencer economy has created a fascinating new frontier in intellectual property law, where personal brands clash with corporate interests and digital avatars raise unprecedented legal questions.This episode unpacks the high-stakes IP battles reshaping the $20 billion influencer industry, revealing how savvy creators protect their most valuable asset, their identity. Through compelling case studies like Charli D'Amelio's strategic trademark registrations and the legendary "Battle of the Kylies" between Jenner and Minogue, we explore how influencers transform fleeting social media fame into lasting, legally-protected brand equity.But the legal landscape doesn't just apply to human influencers. We venture into the uncanny valley of virtual personalities like Lil Miquella and Noonoouri, examining how these digital beings, composed entirely of intellectual property, navigate contracts, licensing, and disclosure requirements. As luxury brands increasingly embrace these pixel-perfect ambassadors who never age and never sleep, the boundaries between creative assets and personas continue to blur.The global response to these challenges reveals fascinating cultural and legal differences. From Tennessee's groundbreaking AI-ELVIS Act protecting voice rights to China's comprehensive regulations on "deep synthesis" content, we witness how legal frameworks worldwide are evolving to address deepfakes, digital cloning, and the ownership of virtual identities.Whether you're an influencer building your personal brand, a marketer navigating partnership agreements, or simply curious about the legal infrastructure behind social media fame, this episode offers crucial insights into who truly owns your digital presence—and how to protect it. Remember: in the high-stakes world of influence, the law isn't here to rain on your parade; it's here to ensure you own the parade itself.Subscribe now to explore the intersection of intellectual property and digital influence, and join us at the Luxury Innovation Summit 2025 in Geneva this September for our special event on IP in the age of luxury technology.Send us a textSupport the show

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