Sheng Rong Tng on LinkedIn: Happening on 19 August - feel free to drop in if you're available! (2024)

As a millennial, one thing that defines our entire generation is our boy bands and girl groups. The Spice Girls. *NSync. Play the opening line to Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" - just like in that episode of Brooklyn 99 - and watch every millennial sing along while reciting the lyrics from memory.My personal favourite has always been Westlife. Their Coast to Coast album was one of the first I ever owned, and I remember watching and rewatching the music video for "Flying Without Wings" on MTV. Sadly, they've long faded away and been replaced in the modern zeitgeist.That's why I was surprised to see a new Westlife song being released on YouTube. Not only had I never heard of the song before, it was in Mandarin!Further inquiries revealed an even more interesting truth. Westlife has created a cover of a Chinese song (Jason Zhang's Love + Courage) entirely using an AI singing technology known as KUGOU AIK, owned by Tencent Music. According to Tencent, all a user needs to do is sing a capella for 60 seconds, and the AI can completely imitate the user's vocal characteristics to sing!The potential of such technology is incredible, to say the least. Not only could it turn amateurs such as myself into professional-sounding singers, it could be readily monetised by professional singers to release songs in multiple languages at an instant.The prospects for abuse are also rife. This is another step in AI deepfake technology, and the possibilities of identity theft and copyright infringement are endless. Nevertheless, the technology is here to stay and the law will have to find ways to ensure it can be properly exploited and enhanced, while limiting the extent of damage that misuse can cause. In the meantime, here's a link to the video - have a listen and decide for yourself how convincing it sounds! My mind still finds it hard to imagine Westlife singing in fluent Mandarin 😅 https://lnkd.in/gKVZdjUN

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Durian: a single word which evokes intense desire and longing in some, yet triggers abject horror and disgust in others.Durian: it appears on the bucket list of every first-time visitor to South East Asia, yet it is banned on public transport, shopping malls and cinemas.Durian: some call it the King of Fruits and pay a fortune to import the best varietals, yet others have likened it to "French-kissing your dead grandmother" (the late great Anthony Bourdain) and "rotten egg, and pineapple and raw onion all in one" (Gordon Ramsay).To describe the Durian as divisive is putting it mildly (unlike its aroma). But one thing is for sure - it stirs up fervent passions among proponents and detractors, like nothing else. We're currently in the midst of Durian Season which rolls around twice a year. Over the past few years, prices have skyrocketed due to overwhelming demand from other parts of the world, including China. This has led the Malaysian government to announce that it will seek to patent a species of locally-grown durian, the (in)famous Mao Shan Wang (see https://lnkd.in/gjFCMBdM).The mode of IP protection is probably inaccurate, seeing as naturally-occurring items are likely not patentable, and Malaysia may be better off availing itself of Plant Varieties Protection or Geographical Indications Protection. But the intent remains the same, and only goes to show just how much we love our Durians in this part of the world.To my uninitiated friends, the next time you visit Singapore or Malaysia, make sure you muster some courage and have yourself some Durian (especially Mao Shan Wang)!

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Attending an overseas conference is much harder than it seems!The days prior are packed as you rush out as much work as you can, the days during are a flurry of meetings and receptions coupled with responding to the most urgent of matters, and the days after are an arduous grind through the (metaphorical) piles of emails which have mysteriously accumulated while you were out of the office.It is with great delight, therefore, that I proudly announce that I have finally caught up with all my backlog since I returned from the International Trademark Association (INTA) 2024 Annual Meeting in late May 2024!With some breathing space (at last), I've had the time to reflect on what felt like a whirlwind trip. The flight from Singapore to Atlanta was almost 24 hours, but the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and forge connections with new ones was invaluable, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.Undoubtedly, the best part was being able to spend quality time with the various members of the IP teams - Celia Cheah Chiew Lan (Malaysia), Akkarap*rn Muangsobha (Thailand), nalendra wibowo (Indonesia) and Kok-Keng LAU and I (Singapore). We pride ourselves on being a single law practice that spans across all of South East Asia, yet we seldom find ourselves all in the same physical location at the same time, which made the 6 days we spent together all the more precious. It's truly a blessing to have such incredible friends and colleagues to work alongside!Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who made time to meet and connect with us over this past INTA. Here's looking forward to San Diego in 2025!

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Some good news to start 2024! I'm indebted to my colleagues, friends and clients who have shown their support and confidence in me over the years, and I strive to repay their kindness in all the work that I do.

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I recently spoke with Asia IP Magazine and shared some thoughts on the Hollywood writers' strike and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the ability of celebrities to protect their likeness.

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To my many wine-loving friends - it always helps to know that you're drinking the good stuff! Here's a short note that I prepared on the Court of Appeal's recent decision regarding "Prosecco" and Geographical Indications.

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Fantastic to see being ranked as the top Singapore law firm once again! Especially pleased that our Intellectual Property practice received a five-star rating - it's wonderful to see that our peers and clients hold us in such high regard.

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I'm heading to Bangkok from 6 to 9 November 2023 for Thailand ADR Week, and will be moderating a panel on "Artificial Intelligence in ADR" with Arie Eernisse, Eduard M. Sato, Thawalkorn Pattanachote and Dr. Vanina Sucharitkul, FCIArb. Let's catch up if you're attending the conference or if you happen to be in Bangkok at the same time!

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I'm really pleased to be ranked as one of Asia's Super 50 Disputes Lawyers by Asian Legal Business.The rankings are based on client feedback, and I'm grateful for the trust that my clients have placed in me over the years.All credit to the team of brilliant and dedicated people who have worked with and supported me, without whom this would not have been possible.

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