In today’s Digest, we cover OpenAI rolling out Instant Checkout and Sora requiring a copyright opt-out. We also discuss Google settling the Trump Jan. 6 ban case for USD$24.5m and Havas and Horizon launching a USD$20bn media network.

OpenAI rolls out Instant Checkout; Sora to require copyright opt-out

OpenAI has launched Instant Checkout, a feature that lets users buy products directly within ChatGPT. Starting with Etsy sellers in the US, the rollout will soon include over a million Shopify merchants, featuring brands like Glossier and SKIMS. Limited to single-item purchases for the moment, the platform plans to support multi-item carts and expand globally.

The technology runs on the Agentic Commerce Protocol, co-developed with Stripe, which enables AI agents, users, and businesses to collaborate on transactions. OpenAI has made the protocol open source, allowing developers and merchants to build custom integrations.

This marks a shift in AI’s role from recommending products to completing purchases. For consumers, it means a seamless chat-to-checkout experience. For sellers, it offers access to a vast audience while maintaining control over payments and customer relationships.

Meanwhile, OpenAI is reportedly set to roll out a new version of its Sora video generator that would feature copyrighted material by default, unless rights holders actively opt out. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company has begun notifying studios and creators about the process, which shifts the burden of exclusion onto content owners.

While Sora may include copyrighted characters unless blocked, OpenAI has clarified it will not generate likenesses of public figures without explicit consent. The update, expected soon, signals OpenAI’s push to broaden Sora’s capabilities and could reshape how AI tools engage with creative assets and copyright boundaries.

$20bn Media network launched by Havas & Horizon

Havas and Horizon Media have teamed up to launch Horizon Global, a New York-based media network with USD$20bn (£14.8bn) in combined billings and operations in nearly 100 markets.

The joint venture is structured to serve US clients with international ambitions, plugging Horizon’s scale into Havas Media’s global infrastructure. Profits will be shared across the two holding groups, with Bob Lord, president of Horizon Media Holdings, stepping in as interim CEO, and Renata Spackova of Havas named global COO to steer strategy and rollout.

Google settles Trump ban for $24.5m

A USD$24.5m (£18.1m) settlement has been agreed to by Google to end President Trump’s legal challenge over his suspension from YouTube. Court filings show USD$22m (£16.3m) will fund a new White House ballroom, with the rest distributed among other plaintiffs. At the time of his suspension, social media companies said Trump risked inciting further violence in Washington, DC following the Capitol riot. YouTube joined Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms in restricting Trump’s accounts, citing public safety concerns.

The deal is the latest in a string of settlements Trump has secured with major tech and media companies since returning to office, despite courts repeatedly affirming platforms’ rights to moderate content.