AI Copyright Law Scrutiny

Canada's artificial intelligence minister is closely monitoring court cases regarding AI and copyright to inform the government's regulatory strategy. A key concern is how copyright laws should adapt to AI-generated content, especially with AI systems being trained on copyrighted material. The Canadian government is consulting on modernising copyright laws to address challenges presented by AI and the Internet of Things, aiming to balance technological advancement with the rights of content creators.

Currently, Canadian copyright law requires human authorship for a work to be protected, meaning AI-generated content may not qualify. However, a Federal Court case could explore whether AI can be recognised as a co-author. A lawsuit against OpenAI alleges unauthorised use of journalistic content to train ChatGPT, highlighting tensions between AI development and content creators' rights.

The government is considering how to address concerns posed by generative AI within the copyright framework. These considerations include the economic impacts of AI on creative industries and whether changes are needed to improve copyright policy for Canada's evolving economy.