Google’s AI Booking Tools, OpenAI’s Sora On Android, And Getty’s Copyright Battle

Technology is moving faster than most of us can keep up with. Every week brings something new that changes how we search, create, or even think about ownership in the digital world. Some innovations make life easier, others spark questions.

Well, this week was no different. Let’s see what unfolded. Read on!

Google is taking another step toward making Search more useful and a bit more personal. The company has rolled out new agentic capabilities in its AI Mode, which allows users to book event tickets and beauty or wellness appointments directly through Search.

Using this feature, which is a part of Google’s Search Labs experiment, users can make specific requests like, “Find me two cheap standing tickets for the Shaboozey concert coming up.” AI Mode then searches across multiple websites in real time, compares options, and gives a curated list of ticket prices, also linking users straight to the booking page to complete the purchase.

It’s not the first time Google has expanded AI Mode’s capabilities. Back in August, the company introduced a feature to make restaurant reservations, where users could ask for dinner spots as per preferences like cuisine, location, and timing.

For instance, “Find me a dinner reservation for three people this Friday after 6 p.m. around Logan Square. Craving ramen or bibimbap.” The AI then searches for reservation platforms and shows a list of matching options.


According to Google, the launch of this feature aims to simplify complex searches and connect people with high-quality, reliable information. “Our priority in Google Search is connecting you with high-quality information you can rely on,” the company noted on its Search Labs page. “This new mode is rooted in our core quality and safety systems, but it’s still an early experiment and may make mistakes.”

AI Mode introduction positioned as Google’s response to emerging AI-driven search platforms like Perplexity AI and ChatGPT Search. Since then, it has expanded to over 180 countries, picking up new tools along the way from a Canvas feature that helps organize study plans to Google Lens integration, which lets users ask questions about whatever is on their screen.

With these updates, Google’s AI Mode is shaping up to be more than a search tool and becoming a digital assistant that can not only find information but help users act on it, one booking at a time.

As Google expands the practical uses of AI in Search, OpenAI is pushing creative boundaries with its own technology.

OpenAI’s viral video-generation app, Sora, has officially made its way to Android. The company announced the launch in a post on X on Tuesday. The app will be available on Google Play Store in select countries including Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Users can generate short videos from text prompts and share them on a feed, just like TikTok. Initially launched as an invite-only platform, it’s now open to everyone for a limited time.

Sora first launched on iOS in late September and quickly became popular, reaching 1 million downloads in less than five days and staying at the top of Apple’s App Store for nearly three weeks. It now ranks No. 5 among the top free apps, just behind Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Bill Peebles, head of Sora at OpenAI, validated the announcement in a post on X, saying that the company is working to expand availability soon.

With this Android launch, Sora is set to reach an even wider audience, giving creators another way to bring their imaginations to life.

While OpenAI grows its reach, another company in creative space is facing questions about how AI uses original content.


Just now, Getty Images and Perplexity announced a global partnership to license Getty’s images for AI tools, but a recent lawsuit tells a different story.

In a recent case highlighting this concern, Getty Images has largely lost its UK lawsuit against AI company Stability AI. The case was seen as an important test of how copyright laws apply to AI technology.

The dispute was about Getty’s claim that Stability AI used its stock photos without permission to train its image generator, Stable Diffusion. However, the judge found no clear proof that Getty’s images were used in the training process and ruled that Stable Diffusion “does not store or reproduce any copyright works.”

Getty did win a smaller part of the case where the court agreed that images created by Stable Diffusion showing Getty’s watermark counted as trademark infringement. Yet, Judge Joanna Smith said the finding was “extremely limited in scope.”

Both sides claimed partial victories. Getty said the ruling was “a significant win for intellectual property owners,” while Stability AI said it “resolves the copyright concerns that were the core issue.”

Lawyers noted that the verdict leaves one big question unanswered, whether training AI models on copyrighted material breaks the law.

"We urge governments, including the UK, to establish stronger transparency rules which are essential to prevent costly legal battles and to allow creators to protect their rights," Getty said.

Do you think AI tools should be allowed to handle real-world tasks like bookings and content creation while still learning from copyrighted material?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!