The U.S. Copyright Office will study copyright law and policy issues raised by the use of artificial intelligence systems, according to a notice posted today in the Federal Register. The proposed study will assess whether legislative or regulatory steps are warranted as the technology advances. As part of its research, the office will seek out public comment on issues such as the use of copyrighted materials used to train AI, the appropriate levels of transparency and disclosure concerning copyrighted works, and the legal status of AI-generated content.
“Over the past several years, the office has begun to receive applications to register works containing AI-generated material, some of which name AI systems as an author or co-author,” the Copyright Office stated in the notice. “At the same time, copyright owners have brought infringement claims against AI companies based on the training process for, and outputs derived from, generative AI systems. As concerns and uncertainties mount, Congress and the Copyright Office have been contacted by many stakeholders with diverse views.” The office added that it has previously refused to grant copyright to AI-generated materials.
The Copyright Office is seeking input on the potential risks and benefits of AI as well as whether the increasing use of the technology will have any effects on different business sectors.
