US Copyright Office allows registration of AI content

The US Copyright Office has issued an important update to rules regarding protection of content created using artificial intelligence. According to the new document “Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 2: Copyrightability,” AI-created works can now receive copyright protection – provided there is substantial human contribution or editing.

This decision marks a major shift in the agency’s policy, which previously cancelled the copyright registration for the graphic novel “Zarya of the Dawn” by artist Kris Kashtanova, created using the Midjourney AI image generator. The new document is the second part of a report initially published in July 2024.

The Office emphasizes that human creativity remains central to copyright law and intellectual property rights, despite the growing use of AI tools in artistic and commercial creation. This decision is particularly important for large companies, as it gives them confidence in protecting brands and intellectual property when integrating branded products and trademarks into AI-created media content.

As an example, the document mentions the high-profile Coca Cola holiday advertisement released late last year using artificial intelligence technologies. The new rules guarantee protection for such commercial works if they include substantial human contribution in the creation process.