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Category: Technology

CC Responds to the United States Copyright Office Notice of Inquiry on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence

Better Internet, Copyright, Licenses & Tools, Technology
Generated by AI: A white robot with a look of concentration on their face, wearing a red cap and robe, painting an empty gold picture frame with a brush that has an abstract flower growing up from its handle. Detail from “AI Outputs” by CC0.

In August, the United States Copyright Office issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking public responses to 34 questions (and several sub-questions) about the intersection of copyright law and artificial intelligence. The comment period closed on 30 October with over 10,000 individuals and organizations responding, representing a broad spectrum of interests on how copyright should apply in relation to generative AI. CC joined in the conversation to provide our own thoughts on copyright and AI to the copyright office.

Announcing CC’s Open Infrastructure Circle

Licenses & Tools, Sustaining the Commons, Technology
A black and white Creative Commons icon and logo above

CC Licenses make it possible to share content legally and openly. Over the past 20 years, they have unlocked approximately 3 billion articles, books, research, artwork, and music. CC’s Legal Tools are a free and reliable public good. Yet most people are unaware that their infrastructure and stewardship takes a lot of money and work to maintain. That’s why we’re launching the Open Infrastructure Circle (OIC) — an initiative to obtain annual or multi-year support from foundations, corporations, and individuals for Creative Commons’ core operations and license infrastructure.

CC and Communia Statement on Transparency in the EU AI Act

Better Internet, Licenses & Tools, Open Culture, Open Knowledge, Technology
An abstract European Union flag of diffused gold stars linked by golden neural pathways on a deep blue mottled background. "EU Flag Neural Network" by Creative Commons was cropped from an image generated by the DALL-E 2 AI platform with the text prompt "European Union flag neural network." CC dedicates any rights it holds to the image to the public domain via CC0.

The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act will be discussed at a key trilogue meeting on 24 October 2023. CC collaborated with Communia to summarize our views emphasizing the importance of a balanced and tailored approach to regulating foundation models and of transparency in general.

Making AI Work for Creators and the Commons

Better Internet, Community, Events, Licenses & Tools, Open Culture, Open Knowledge, Technology
A group of about 20 people standing in a room with a slide behind them that says Open Future & Creative Commons. "CC Global Summit 2023 Day 0" by Creative Commons is licensed CC BY 4.0.

On the eve of the CC Global Summit, members of the CC global community and Creative Commons held a one-day workshop to discuss issues related to AI, creators, and the commons. Emerging from that deep discussion and in subsequent conversation during the three days of the Summit, this group identified a set of common issues and values.

Generative AI and Creativity: New Considerations Emerge at CC Convenings

Better Internet, Events, Open Creativity, Open Heritage, Technology
People seated at tables in a conference room watching a panel of four speak on stage below a slide with an image of a robot painting at an empty easel, saying: Creative Commons, Engleberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy, this event sponsored by Akin, gratitude for additional support to Morrison Foerster. Generative AI & the Creative Cycle Panel” by Jennryn Wetzler for CC BY 4.0.

This week, Creative Commons (CC) convened 100+ participants during two events in New York City to discuss the important issues surrounding generative artificial intelligence (AI), copyright, and creativity. For many years, we at CC have been examining the interplay between copyright and generative AI, exploring ways in which this technology can foster creativity and better…

An Open Letter from Artists Using Generative AI

Better Internet, Open Creativity, Technology
A bluish surrealist painting generated by the DALL-E 2 AI platform showing a small grayish human figure holding a gift out to a larger robot that has its arms extended and a head like a cello. Better Sharing With AI” by Creative Commons was generated by the DALL-E 2 AI platform with the text prompt “A surrealist painting in the style of Salvador Dali of a robot giving a gift to a person playing a cello.” CC dedicates any rights it holds to the image to the public domain via CC0.

As part of Creative Commons’ ongoing community consultation on generative AI, CC has engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders, including artists and content creators, about how to help make generative AI work better for everyone. Certainly, many artists have significant concerns about AI, and we continue to explore the many ways they might be…

Exploring Preference Signals for AI Training

Better Internet, Open Culture, Technology
Close up photo of three round metal signs lying haphazardly on a stony path, each with a big white arrow pointing in a different direction, embossed on a greenish-blue background. "Choices" by Derek Bruff, here cropped, licensed via CC BY-NC 2.0.

One of the motivations for founding Creative Commons (CC) was offering more choices for people who wish to share their works openly. Through engagement with a wide variety of stakeholders, we heard frustrations with the “all or nothing” choices they seemed to face with copyright. Instead they wanted to let the public share and reuse…

Understanding CC Licenses and Generative AI

Better Internet, Licenses & Tools, Open Creativity, Technology
A black and white illustration of a group of human figures in silhouette using unrecognizable tools to work on a giant Creative Commons icon. CC Icon Statue” by Creative Commons, generated in part by the DALL-E 2 AI platform. CC dedicates any rights it holds to this image to the public domain via CC0.

Many wonder what role CC licenses, and CC as an organization, can and should play in the future of generative AI. The legal and ethical uncertainty over using copyrighted inputs for training, the uncertainty over the legal status and best practices around works produced by generative AI, and the implications for this technology on the…

The Complex World of Style, Copyright, and Generative AI

Better Internet, Licenses & Tools, Open Creativity, Technology
Illustration of four superheroes, wearing masks and punk outfits and two holding guitars, standing in a washed out cityscape. “Grunge Heroes” by Stephen Wolfson for Creative Commons was generated by the Midjourney AI platform with the text prompt “a grunge band from the 1990s made up of superheroes.” CC dedicates any rights it holds to the image to the public domain via CC0.

In my previous posts on generative AI, I discussed fair use and AI training data, copyright over AI outputs, and a recent U.S. Copyright Office decision on registration for a work produced by generative AI. In the next posts in our series, I will look at claims (exemplified in a recent case against Stable Diffusion…