The US Copyright Office has just released the most important guidance on AI and copyright. The report reduces the confusion about who has the content of the AI creation.
The law is still centered on human creativity. The copyright office clearly states that this crystal-copyright protection comes from human creative investment, not the AI system itself. This means that “generation” is not enough to require you to create your AI tools.
But this is really interesting: The office did not say “no” to AI, they said “show us the feeling of humanity.” They are using AI as creative tools (protected) and let AI make all creative choices (cannot) (cannot) (cannot) (cannot) cautious boundaries.
The core principles you need to know:
- Human authors are essential
- Copyright protection requires human creativity investment
- The AI system is considered a tool, such as a camera or a brush
- Key question: Is this work fundamentally artificial?
- Timely paradox
- Write a prompt, or even detailed prompts, usually will not provide you with copyright protection
- The office compares it with the rolling dice-you may always try until you get what you want, but you don’t control the land of these dice
- Simply select your favorite AI output and not be regarded as creative behavior
- Actually it is important
- Modify AI output directly
- The creative arrangement of materials generated by AI
- Your original content is still visible in the final work
This is just the beginning. All of this is important because we see the main progress in AI image generation and AI music technology.
What is the authors of human beings?
Now it has become the core of the Copyright Office considering the “human author identity”. This is important because it determines whether your AI auxiliary work is protected by law.
What is human author identity?
The Copyright Office borrowed the foundation of the Constitution here-they define the author as “the person who translates ideas into fixed and tangible expressions.” When they involve AI, they are looking for clear evidence, indicating that humans have made key creative decisions.
A copyright office conducted an experiment that shows why it is not prompted to cut it alone. They tried a complicated prompt that contained detailed instructions, but AI made its own creative decisions on the content and excluding content.
This completely shows why it is not equal to the author-you are not controlling AI’s creative decisions.
(US Copyright Office)
Think like this: Even if there are the same prompt, the AI system will have different results each time. You may get what you like, but you do not guide the creative process-you just choose from the content made by AI.
In fact, qualifications are qualified as the author:
- Actively create
- Make substantial changes to AI output
- The element generated by a combination of AI in the original way
- Add your own creative works that you maintain visible in the final product
- Creative control
- Guidance art vision
- Make specific design choices
- Determine how the element is fused together
- Recorded human investment
- Your original content is assisted by AI
- Clear evidence of your creative decision
- Human modification that can be traceable
This sets a clear standard: It is good to use AI, but you need to show how to use your creativity to shape the final work.
(Alex McFarland/Unite AI)
Protective requirements
The Copyright Office outlines the specific technical requirements for registration. These details are important.
When you register for AI auxiliary work, you need to specifically reject “any non -human expression.” This means distinguishing the content you created with the content generated by AI. The office will look for the identity of “clearly visible” human author, which can be separated from the elements generated by AI.
This will bring an interesting technical challenge. You need to track and record your creative process in a different way. The office hopes to see the boundaries between human and machine contributions-not to limit the use of AI, but to protect human elements.
Considering it as a creative version control. Smart creators are now recording their processes in a way to highlight their creative control: preserve iteration, track major modifications and maintain clear records of their original contributions.
The international perspective has increased another layer. Although most countries agree that copyright needs the identity of the author of human beings, some people use different methods.
The work created through AI is global? The method of AI copyright is not uniform globally.
Most major countries believe that copyright requires human creativity. South Korea, Japan, China and the Czech Republic agree with this core principle. But there are some unique roads.
Britain and New Zealand stand out in “computer -generated works”. However, even with the development of AI, they are re -considered these rules. Canada is still making it clear and shows the speed of this space.
Your AI Copyright Guide
The success of AI copyright is not to avoid AI, but to use it cleverly.
Start with your creativity. Use AI as a tool to enhance work, not replace your creativity. Record your process and show how you guide your creative direction.
Smart creators are treating their AI projects like any other creative works. They save the version, track changes, and retain the clear records of its original input.
When registering, you need to point out the content of your work and AI. It is easier to record it by recording your records.
The copyright office knows that we have just started AI. They are observing the development of technology and the use of creators. With the emergence of new development, they will undoubtedly update their guidance.
But don’t wait for perfect rules. The core principles have not changed: human creativity is the most important. The office will continue to monitor and develop projects, but they obviously that the existing copyright law is currently valid.
The important thing is to show your creativity. The winners will become the creator, and they have the balance between human creativity and AI aid.
Want to stay outside? Continue to record your process, maintain creative control, and pay attention to the update of the copyright office. Your creativity depends on it.
