Forbidden Fruits? Artistic Creation in the AI Copyright War
Jannis Lennartz, Viktoria Kraetzig · GRURRR. Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht, Rechtsprechungs-Report/GRUR-DVD/GRUR-CD/IIC/Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht/Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht. Internationaler Teil · 2024
Artists have a new tool: AI, which allows for new ways of creating sounds, pictures and texts.These can be part of artistic practice as protected by artistic freedom under Art.13 EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (EUCFR) and Art.10(1) European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).But they are burdened with the risk of copyright claims, a burden that is justified via a twisted discourse on culture and AI.Too often, the use of AI is described not as a tool for artistic creation but only as a threat to human creativity.Whenever technological progress in reproduction and distribution threatens the culture industry's value chain (think Napster), there is a concerted action by interested parties -the rights holders.AI is now leading to a new copyright war. 1 So far, artists have hardly been featured in this conflict.2 For them, the crucial question is whether the AI's input taints its output.According to many lawyers and the content industry, the 21st century's paintbrush is unlawful and its use risks personal liability.