Members of the European Parliament are advancing an own-initiative report on copyright and generative artificial intelligence that stresses the need to respect existing copyright rules while adapting the legal framework to new technological realities. The initiative aims to address how generative systems use copyrighted works for training and generation, and to close perceived gaps between current practice and rights-holders’ expectations in the digital single market.
The report calls for new rules that require artificial intelligence developers to be fully transparent about their use of copyrighted works in training datasets and in outputs, with clear disclosure obligations that can be enforced across the European Union. It demands that developers fairly remunerate rights-holders when their protected content is used, and that rights-holders are able to control such use, including the possibility to opt out or set conditions. By insisting on transparency and control, the proposal seeks to realign the balance of power between large technology providers and creators, publishers and other rights-holders.
To make large-scale access to training data lawful and manageable, the report backs the creation of a collective licensing framework tailored to generative artificial intelligence. This framework is intended to secure lawful access to high-quality training data while safeguarding effective copyright enforcement mechanisms in the European Union. The approach is designed to support technological innovation without undermining the economic interests and moral rights of creators. Parliament is expected to vote on the report during its March I session, which will determine the institution’s formal position and signal possible next steps for European legislation on generative artificial intelligence and copyright.
