The decision was made during a lawsuit by AI entrepreneur Stephen Thaler against the US copyright office for denying his application to copyright an artwork produced by his AI system, the creativity machine.
The judge emphasized the principle of human authorship, stating that human creativity is fundamental to copyright law, even when expressed through new tools or mediums. The judge’s decision supports the copyright office’s stance that the connection between human thought and creative expression is crucial for copyright protection.
Thaler argued that AI should qualify for authorship if it satisfies the relevant criteria, with the copyright belonging to the system’s owner. This decision impacts numerous sectors, including Hollywood, where a writers’ strike has occurred over concerns of ai potentially replacing human workers. A group of artists also sued AI art generator companies MidJourney, Stable Diffusion, and DreamUp, alleging violation of artists’ rights and potential harm to the art community.
