The U.S. Copyright Office has released a report addressing how copyright laws apply to AI-generated content, emphasizing that significant human creative input is necessary for such works to receive copyright protection.
This report is the second part of a three-part series, with the first part published in 2024 focusing on digital replicas, and a third part expected later in 2025.
Creators are advised to meticulously document their creative processes to showcase their guidance in AI-assisted works, which is crucial for navigating copyright regulations.
The report states that authorship in human-AI collaborations will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering the level of human creativity involved.
Most countries, including Korea, Japan, and China, align with the U.S. view that copyright requires human creativity, although international rules vary.
Those who effectively integrate AI into their workflows are expected to gain a competitive advantage in both creative and business success.
Prior to the report, a Notice of Inquiry was issued to gather public feedback on AI-related copyright policy, resulting in over 10,000 comments from various stakeholders.
The upcoming third part will delve into the implications of training AI models on copyrighted materials, a concern raised by numerous artists in a petition against unlicensed use of their works.
The rapid emergence of AI image generators has sparked ongoing debates about the ethics of AI art and whether AI-generated works can be copyrighted.
Colorado artist Jason M. Allen is appealing a decision that denied him copyright registration for his AI-generated work, arguing that his extensive use of prompts involved significant creative effort.
Shira Perlmutter, the register of copyrights, confirmed that human creativity expressed through AI systems is protected by copyright, underscoring the importance of human involvement.
The Copyright Office encourages demonstrating human creativity in AI-assisted works rather than rejecting the use of AI in the creative process.
