U.S. Copyright Office Clarifies AI-Generated Works

The U.S. Copyright Office has released Part 2 of its Report on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, focusing on the copyrightability of AI-generated works. The report emphasizes that human authorship is crucial for copyright protection, stating that human creativity must be evident in AI-influenced works. It outlines scenarios where AI-generated works may qualify for copyright, including assistive uses of AI, expressive inputs and outputs, and modifications and arrangements of AI-generated content. However, it concludes that prompts alone are insufficient for copyright protection. The report also compares international stances on AI-generated works and concludes that no new legal protections are required under current U.S. law. The forthcoming Part 3 of the report will address issues such as the legal implications of training AI on copyrighted works and licensing.