News

• Samsung Loses UK Trade Mark Battle Over 'Samsung Gauss'

  
  
  
  In a ruling under the UK Trade Marks Act 1994, the UK Intellectual Property Office has declared Samsung Electronics’ 'Samsung Gauss' registration in Classes 9 and 42 invalid following a challenge by Huawei Technologies. The dispute centred on Huawei’s earlier "Gauss" trade marks, covering software, cloud computing, and related services, with the tribunal finding the contested goods and services identical and the marks sharing a highly distinctive common element. While direct confusion was dismissed due to noticeable visual and aural differences, the hearing officer concluded that the "Gauss" element retained independent distinctiveness, creating a likelihood of indirect confusion whereby consumers might perceive Samsung’s mark as a sub-brand or brand extension of Huawei’s.
  
  

  
  

  11/08/2025

• An update to our trademark report is now available

    To access it, please log in to your account and go to the "Trademark" section. If you're not registered yet, simply sign up with your reference number.
  
  
  

  06/08/2025

• Mistral AI Secures Domain Victory as It Tightens Grip on Europe’s AI Landscape

  
  
  
  Mistral AI, the Paris-based generative AI pioneer, has won a WIPO ruling ordering the transfer of the domain <mistral-ai.org>, after a U.S.- based registrant was found to have registered and used it in bad faith. The decision, delivered on 10 July 2025, confirmed that the disputed domain was confusingly similar to Mistral’s registered EUIPO and WIPO trademarks. The case comes as Mistral, founded in 2023 by former Meta and DeepMind researchers, cements its position as Europe’s flagship AI player, with a valuation exceeding $6 billion following a $500 million funding round in 2024. Known for championing open-source large language models such as NeMo12b and MML2 — praised for efficiency and multilingual capabilities — Mistral has capitalised on regulatory headwinds that saw Apple and Meta restrict AI model access in the EU, leaving the French firm with fewer competitors in a market of 450 million users.
  
  

  
  

  31/07/2025