News in brief: Warner Brothers' Max Arrives to Asia; Indian News Agency Sues OpenAI; Havas to Consider M&A 

Warner Brothers’ Max Arrives in Asia

Warner Brothers is bringing its Max streaming service to Asia. The entertainment giant is relying on its large catalogue of Hollywood movies and TV shows to draw in Indian customers, instead of investing a large sum in local content. Despite this, it’s partnering with local platforms in order to build loyalty for its streaming content and to increase subscribers without having to commit to large initial investments. The first phase of growth will come from these local partnerships, reports The Japan Times; the Max hub will be available on local streaming services in Japan and New Zealand, as well as being available through bundling with partners in other Asian markets. Once having gained enough traction, Warner Bros. intends to launch the Max standalone app. This mirrors the company’s strategy in the UK under which Sky has been its official partner – Max’s standalone app will be launched in the UK in 2026. 

Indian News Agency Sues OpenAI

Looking at the latest on the battleground between publishers and AI, Asian News International – one of India’s largest news agencies – is suing OpenAI. The lawsuit, filed on Monday in the Delhi High Court, marks the first time an Indian media organisation has opened legal proceedings against the AI company over copyright allegations. The case claims that OpenAI unlawfully used its content to train its AI models, as well as generating false information attributed to the news agency. The case is just one of the many brought against OpenAI in recent months. 

Havas to Consider M&A

In the ad agency world, Havas CEO Yannick Bolloré reveals that they are considering significant merger and acquisition deals once they have completed their stock market listing in Amsterdam next month, reports the Financial Times. The listing is part of a three-way breakup of Vivendi, the agency’s parent company. According to Bolloré, Havas’ listing will bring the agency more visibility and create opportunities for external growth, while the shares could become a valuable way to fund acquisitions.