“Artificial Intelligence Threatens Copyrights of Creative Professions in the U.S.”
Matt O’Brien, an AP Technology Writer, reports that country singers, romance novelists, video game artists, and voice actors are urging the U.S. government to take action against the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) poses to their livelihoods. Podcaster’s are among those expressing concern over their voices being replicated by AI, and the creative professions are calling for regulation to address these fears.
While the creative professions seek relief, Technology companies are content with the current status quo that allows them to utilize published works to enhance their AI systems. The U.S. register of copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, is currently reviewing the thousands of comments submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office, weighing the need for copyright reforms in the era of generative AI tools.
Perlmutter’s office has raised questions about whether human involvement in controlling AI-generated content constitutes authorship. They are also addressing concerns regarding the use of copyrighted human works to train AI systems without permission or compensation.
Individual artists, including Justine Bateman and Lilla Zuckerman, have expressed their distress over the potential impact of AI on their industries. Industry professionals are worried about the influence of AI on various forms of Entertainment, including film, television, and music.
In response to these concerns, leading tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms argue that their training of AI models falls under the “fair use” doctrine. They claim that AI training aims to identify patterns across a broad body of content rather than to extract or reproduce individual works.
Historically, courts have largely favored tech companies in their interpretations of copyright laws related to AI systems. However, the Copyright Office is working to address the complexities of this issue, seeking to determine the extent to which fair use applies to AI development.
The ongoing debate highlights the challenges and ethical considerations surrounding the intersection of AI Technology and creative works. As the Copyright Office continues to gather feedback from various stakeholders, the future regulatory landscape for AI and copyright in the U.S. remains uncertain.
