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On October 28, 2026, heise online reported that developer Brandon Thomas's ArtCraft project uses AI agents such as Claude Code and GitHub Copilot, with natural-language prompts assisting development of open-source alternatives to several Adobe and Microsoft programs, including PhotoCraft, a replica of Photoshop. The report also noted that such "vibe-coding" software, when replicating existing proprietary software, may simultaneously implicate copyright, patent, and trademark rights, with the risk falling mainly on the manufacturers and suppliers that distribute such software, while the risk borne by users is relatively small. The report did not mention any subsequent progress of the project or related legal action.
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Copyright, patents, trademarks: What to watch out for when replicating software with AIDevelopments
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Oct 28
heise online
Copyright, patents, trademarks: What to watch out for when replicating software with AI
A heise article points out that with the help of AI agents such as Claude Code and GitHub Copilot, non-programmers can generate software using natural-language prompts, and can even replicate existing proprietary software, which may simultaneously implicate three types of rights: copyright, patents, and trademarks. The risks fall mainly on the party distributing such vibe-coding software, namely manufacturers and vendors, while the risks borne by users are relatively small. The article uses developer Brandon Thomas's ArtCraft project as an example; the project uses AI-assisted development to create open-source alternatives to several Adobe and Microsoft programs, including PhotoCraft, a replica of Photoshop.