The European Parliament approved a set of recommendations advising legislators to seek a “permanent” solution to safeguard copyright against the use of artificial intelligence (AI), a decision that creative industry associations claim demonstrates robust political support for artists and rights holders.
Prepared by the legal affairs committee of Parliament, the report urges that EU copyright regulations be applicable to all AI systems offered to users in the bloc.
One of its main proposals is establishing a European register at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that would catalog all copyrighted works utilized to train AI models, along with the artists who have chosen not to have their works included. The report additionally recommends that companies reveal the websites they have used for scraping training data.
Parliamentarians caution that not adhering to these transparency obligations "might equate to a breach of copyright," which could lead AI companies to face legal repercussions.
MEPs stated that copyrighted works need to be “fairly compensated” to safeguard the bloc’s creative industry, contributing nearly seven percent to the EU’s gross domestic product.
"MEP Axel Voss remarked in January that generative AI should not function beyond the boundaries of the law." "Creators deserve transparency, legal certainty, and fair compensation when copyrighted works are utilized for training AI systems."
According to the EU's existing regulations, firms are allowed to utilize copyrighted content for text and data mining, such as AI training, unless a creator has “reserved their rights,” stated Marc du Moulin, secretary-general of the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA).
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According to the European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC), the report's adoption indicates that Parliament "takes a strong stance" in support of creators’ rights.
“This vote contributes to the increasing acknowledgment at the EU level of what is at risk.” “Innovation, equity, and cultural sovereignty should work together,” stated Adriana Moscoso del Prado, GESAC’s general manager, in a comment to Euronews Next.
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Moscoso del Prado also supported the report’s recommendation for a licensing market that guarantees creators receive payment when their works are utilized to train AI systems.
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Ann Becker, chair of Creativity Works!, a coalition for creative industries, stated that current laws need to be upheld to combat the unauthorized utilization of artistic works by AI firms.