In a significant move toward transparency, a bill was introduced in the US Congress on Tuesday by California Congressman Adam Schiff, targeting artificial intelligence (AI) companies over the use of copyrighted material. The proposed legislation, known as the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act, mandates AI firms to disclose copyrighted content utilized in their generative models to the Register of Copyrights. This disclosure is required at least 30 days before the launch of new AI systems, with non-compliance resulting in financial penalties.
The bill seeks to illuminate the extensive datasets—encompassing billions of text lines, images, and hours of music and movies—that AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, are trained on. Amidst a backdrop of increasing litigation and government scrutiny, the move aims to balance AI’s potential against the necessity for ethical guidelines and copyright protections. Schiff’s initiative has garnered support from numerous entities within the entertainment industry, highlighting a collective endeavor to safeguard human creative contributions against unregulated AI usage.
AI companies, including OpenAI, currently embroiled in copyright infringement lawsuits, maintain that their operations fall within the bounds of fair use. However, the legislation and ensuing debates underscore the complex interplay between innovation, copyright law, and the protection of intellectual property in the digital age.
