SlySoft, which earlier released a program to automatically strip the copy protection from HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs, has released an update that will "future-proof" the software from future protections, the company claims.

On Friday, SlySoft released AnyDVD, complete with an "artificial intelligence scanner". Like previous versions of the software, AnyDVD's chief goal is to automate the removal of digital-rights-management protections from HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs as easily as possible, the company explained.

However, the new AI scanner also apparently contains some heuristic elements, functioning somewhat like an antivirus scanner does in searching out previously undiscovered malware.

"The AI Scanner in AnyDVD is a new, pro-active copy protection circumvention method," said Giancarlo Bettini, SlySoft's chief executive, in a statement. "It allows the user to make safety backups of his DVD movies even if the newest anti-piracy technology is used. It is our belief that the AI Scanner will even work on protections yet to be released, so we see this as a future-proof technology. This is indeed a hard nut to crack for the copy protection industry."

Read the rest of this story at ExtremeTech: "SlySoft Update Includes 'AI' to Crack Future HD DVDs, BDs"