Keyword: Auteursrecht
Copyright and Generative AI: Opinion external link
Abstract
The ECS considers that the current development of generative artificial intelligence (AI), under the regulatory framework set up by the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (CDSM) of 2019 and the AI Act of 2024 (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), leaves legal uncertainties and several open questions. The following issues require, in the view of the ECS, urgent consideration by the European Union.
Copyright
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Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights external link
Abstract
Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights, currently in its fourth edition, provides an exhaustive analysis of the various operational collective management organization (CMO) models, their rights and obligations vis-à-vis authors, other rightholders and users, the acquisition of the legal authority to license and (most importantly) the rights to license digital uses of protected material, and the creation (or improvement) of information systems to deal with the increasingly complex tasks of rights management and licensing. Over the past three decades, CMOs have become the nerve centres of copyright licensing in virtually every country. Their expertise and knowledge of copyright law and management have proven essential to making copyright work in the digital age. However, they have also been at the centre of debates about their effectiveness, transparency and governance.
collective management, Copyright, related rights
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Editorial: What Is a ‘Research Organisation’ and Why It Matters: From Text and Data Mining to AI Research
Copyright’s critical mess: music metadata external link
The paradox of lawful text and data mining? Some experiences from the research sector and where we (should) go from here external link
Abstract
Scientific research can be tricky business. This paper critically explores the 'lawful access' requirement in European copyright law which applies to text and data mining (TDM) carried out for the purpose of scientific research. Whereas TDM is essential for data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation, the paper argues that the 'lawful access' requirement in Article 3 CDSM Directive may actually restrict research by complicating the applicability of the TDM provision or even rendering it inoperable. Although the requirement is intended to ensure that researchers act in good faith before deploying TMD tools for purposes such as machine learning, it forces them to ask for permission to access data, for example by taking out a subscription to a service, and for that reason provides the opportunity for copyright holders to apply all sorts of commercial strategies to set the legal and technological parameters of access and potentially even circumvent the mandatory character of the provision. The paper concludes by drawing on insights from the recent European Commission study 'Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes' that offer essential perspectives for the future of TDM, and by suggesting a number of paths forward that EU Member States can take already now in order to support a more predictable and reliable legal regime for scientific TDM and potentially code mining to foster innovation.
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Artificial intelligence, CDSM Directive, Copyright, Text and Data Mining (TDM)
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European Copyright Society Opinion on Copyright and Generative AI external link
Copyright and Generative AI: Opinion of the European Copyright Society external link
Copyright Liability and Generative AI: What’s the Way Forward? external link
Abstract
This paper examines the intricate relationship between copyright liability and generative AI, focusing on legal challenges at the output stage of AI content generation. As AI technology advances, questions regarding copyright infringement and attribution of liability have become increasingly pressing and complex, requiring a revision of existing rules and theories. The paper navigates the European copyright framework and offers insights from Swedish copyright law on unharmonized aspects of liability, reviewing key case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union and Swedish courts. Considering the liability of AI users first, the paper emphasizes that while copyright exceptions are relevant in the discussion, national liability rules nuance a liability risk assessment above and beyond the potential applicability of a copyright exception. The analysis centers in particular on the reversed burden of proof introduced by the Swedish Supreme Court in NJA 1994 s 74 (Smultronmålet / Wild strawberries case) and the parameters of permissible transformative or derivative use (adaptations of all sorts), especially the level of similarity allowed between a pre-existing and transformative work, examining in particular NJA 2017 s 75 (Svenska syndabockar / Swedish scapegoats). Moreover, the paper engages in a discussion over the harmonization of transformative use and the exclusive right of adaptation through the right of reproduction in Article 2 InfoSoc Directive. Secondly, the paper examines copyright liability of AI system providers when their technology is used to generate infringing content. While secondary liability remains unharmonized in the EU, thus requiring consideration of national conceptions of such liability and available defences, expansive interpretations of primary liability by the Court of Justice in cases like C-160/15 GS Media, C-527/15 Filmspeler, or C-610/15 Ziggo require a consideration of the question whether AI providers indeed could also be held primarily liable for what users do. In this respect, the analysis considers both the right of communication to the public as well as the right of reproduction. The paper concludes with a forward-looking perspective, arguing in light of available litigation tactics that clarity must emerge through litigation rather than premature legislative reform. It will provide an opportunity for courts to systematize existing rules and liability theories and provide essential guidance for balancing copyright protection with innovation.
Artificial intelligence, Copyright, liability
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Bibtex
Generative AI, Copyright and the AI Act external link
Abstract
This paper provides a critical analysis of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act's implications for the European Union (EU) copyright acquis, aiming to clarify the complex relationship between AI regulation and copyright law while identifying areas of legal ambiguity and gaps that may influence future policymaking. The discussion begins with an overview of fundamental copyright concerns related to generative AI, focusing on issues that arise during the input, model, and output stages, and how these concerns intersect with the text and data mining (TDM) exceptions under the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive (CDSMD).
The paper then explores the AI Act's structure and key definitions relevant to copyright law. The core analysis addresses the AI Act's impact on copyright, including the role of TDM in AI model training, the copyright obligations imposed by the Act, requirements for respecting copyright law—particularly TDM opt-outs—and the extraterritorial implications of these provisions. It also examines transparency obligations, compliance mechanisms, and the enforcement framework. The paper further critiques the current regime's inadequacies, particularly concerning the fair remuneration of creators, and evaluates potential improvements such as collective licensing and bargaining. It also assesses legislative reform proposals, such as statutory licensing and AI output levies, and concludes with reflections on future directions for integrating AI governance with copyright protection.
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AI Act, Content moderation, Copyright, Digital Services Act (DSA), Generative AI, Text and Data Mining (TDM), Transparency