Professors Urge Supreme Court to Protect AI-Created Works
On Friday, October 31, several professors and researchers submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Dr. Stephen Thaler’s petition for a writ of certiorari. They called on the Court to affirm that works created by artificial intelligence deserve copyright protection.
“Excluding AI-generated works from copyright protection threatens the foundations of American creativity, innovation, and economic growth.”
Key Participants
- Dr. Stephen Thaler, creator of the AI system known as the Creativity Machine
- Professors Shlomit Yanisky-Ravid and Lawrence Lessig
- Other academics and researchers filing the brief
Case Background
The brief was submitted in the case Thaler v. Perlmutter. Dr. Thaler has long sought to register copyright for his AI-generated artwork titled A Recent Entrance to Paradise, which the U.S. Copyright Office declined to recognize, arguing it lacked human authorship.
Core Argument
The academics contend that excluding AI-generated works undermines the intent of the Copyright Act and risks stifling progress in creativity and innovation. They argue that the current requirement of human authorship fails to reflect the evolving landscape of creation driven by artificial intelligence.
Author’s Summary: Academics are urging the Supreme Court to modernize copyright law and include AI-made creations as part of protected intellectual property.