3 AI Copyright Infringement Cases That Happened Overseas
The presence of AI continues to be a hot topic of discussion across various industries. Its growing role in the creative world has sparked controversy, particularly regarding copyright protection for creators. On the international stage, there have also been numerous cases involving alleged AI-related copyright infringement.
These cases have further fueled the debate over how AI should be used in the creative industry. The disputes that have emerged serve as a reminder that AI remains a controversial subject, particularly among creative professionals and industries.
So, what AI-related copyright infringement cases have occurred overseas?
Let’s take a closer look at some examples of AI-related copyright infringement cases in the following article!
The Issue of AI Copyright Regulations
The use of AI has now reached virtually every segment of society. From conventional workers and business owners to students and creators such as musicians and artists, many people have begun using AI as a tool to assist them in creating their work.
However, the development of laws in many countries often lags behind technological advancements, which continue to evolve rapidly. Concepts such as machine learning and generative AI have yet to be specifically addressed in many existing regulations, including those in Indonesia.
This is especially true when it comes to copyright protection for AI-generated works. Court cases involving AI as the primary subject of copyright disputes remain relatively limited—or in some jurisdictions, almost nonexistent.
Nevertheless, the Indonesian Government is reportedly working on revisions to the Copyright Law. Currently, copyright protection in Indonesia is governed by Law No. 28 of 2014 on Copyright (Copyright Law).
However, the existing law does not specifically regulate copyright protection for AI-generated works in detail. Therefore, the proposed revisions are expected to provide more comprehensive provisions concerning the protection of AI-generated works.
If these new copyright regulations come into effect in the future, many will likely look to them as a legal reference if AI-related copyright infringement cases arise in Indonesia.
Examples of AI Copyright Infringement Cases
Although there have been relatively few widely reported AI copyright infringement cases in Indonesia, several such disputes have already occurred overseas.
Here are three examples of AI-related copyright cases involving different parties. One of them even involves a major technology company that may already be familiar to you.
The following are some examples of AI-related copyright infringement cases that have occurred overseas:
1. AI-Generated Image Case in China
Some countries still do not recognize AI-generated works as eligible for copyright protection. However, China has taken a notable position in a case involving an AI-generated image.
In 2023, the Beijing Internet Court issued an important ruling in what was described as China’s first copyright case involving an AI-generated image. Li filed a lawsuit against Liu over alleged copyright infringement involving an AI-generated image created by Li.
On February 24, 2023, Li used an AI image-generation service called Stable Diffusion to create several images. One of them was titled “Spring Breeze Brings Tenderness — AI Generated Picture.” Li later uploaded the image to the Xiaohongshu platform.
Liu subsequently used the image in an article titled “Love in March, Among Peach Blossoms” without crediting Li as the creator and removed the watermark from the platform. Based on these actions, Li filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Liu.
The court ultimately ruled that Li’s AI-generated image constituted an artistic work eligible for copyright protection. Although the image was created using an AI platform, the court found that it qualified as an artistic work containing creative expression resulting from human intellectual input.
As a result, Liu was found liable for infringing Li’s copyright in the image.
2. NVIDIA vs. Three Authors
NVIDIA, one of the world’s leading American technology companies, also faced a lawsuit in 2024 from three authors: Brian Keene, Abdi Nazemian, and Stewart O’Nan, over alleged copyright infringement.
According to the authors, NVIDIA used their works without permission to train its AI model, NeMo.
The three authors further stated in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco that their works were included in a dataset containing approximately 196,640 books, which was allegedly used to train NeMo to simulate human-written language.
They sought damages from NVIDIA over the alleged copyright infringement. However, there has not yet been a definitive ruling regarding the final outcome of the case.
3. Lawsuit by Major Global Music Labels
Some of the world’s largest music companies, including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records, filed lawsuits against two AI startups, Suno and Udio, over alleged copyright infringement on a scale they described as “unimaginable.”
The music labels alleged that Suno and Udio’s software had used copyrighted music without authorization to generate other similar musical works. In their lawsuits, they sought compensation of up to $150,000 for each alleged infringement.
Suno had not yet provided a response at the time. Udio, however, stated that it had no intention of copying or recreating existing works and maintained that its AI system was specifically designed to create music based on new ideas.
Your Work Is Too Valuable to Simply Disappear!
Creative works created through the dedication, passion, and effort of their creators are valuable assets that deserve proper protection. One of the best ways to protect them is by securing solid and concrete copyright protection.
With professional copyright registration services, Jasa Merek can help your business protect its creative works without having to navigate the registration process alone. Protect your work today to safeguard its future!
FAQ
Why can AI become involved in a copyright dispute?
AI is based on machine learning, which involves training models using large amounts of data. Such datasets may sometimes contain works or materials that are protected by copyright.
Can AI-generated works be protected by copyright?
This remains a subject of ongoing debate. However, in the case that occurred in China, the Beijing Internet Court ruled that an AI-generated work could qualify for copyright protection because of the human involvement in its creation process.
Does Indonesia have regulations regarding AI copyright?
Not yet. Currently, Indonesian copyright regulations do not specifically and comprehensively address copyright protection for AI-generated works.
Will Indonesia introduce new laws regarding AI copyright?
According to reports, the Indonesian Government is currently working on revisions to the country’s copyright regulations, which are expected to include provisions concerning AI and AI-generated works.
How can I protect my work from being used by AI without permission?
One way is to register your copyright so that you have stronger and more concrete evidence of copyright ownership and protection.
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