Representative Adam Schiff is setting a legal precedent by introducing a bill which would require AI companies to publicly state what copyrighted works are being used in their programs. Failure to comply will result in fines or more depending on the size of the company. The bill is called the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure act and would apply to all pre-existing and emerging companies to disclose this information.
A point of contention is whether or not the use of intellectual property by AI is considered infringement or fair use for educational purposes. Universal among other music companies had filed a lawsuit against anthropic after claiming they allegedly exploited their copyrighted works in the past.
This present bill is not doing anything to retain earnings or rights at the moment, it’s primary focus is transparency of whose work is being used. Other organizations like the RIAA and the Writers Guild of America view this bill as a step in the right direction. The clash appears to be between technology and creativity. Protecting creators and their works has become more complicated since the age of streaming has begun.
Billboard wrote an article about the bill going into more detail about artist’s rights and the parties involved
Read more on AI legislation here.
Leave a Comment