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China court says AI broke copyright law in apparent world first | Semafor

Mar 01, 2024 - semafor.com
A Chinese court has ruled that an artificial intelligence (AI) service infringed the copyright of the Japanese superhero character, Ultraman, marking what is believed to be the first ruling of its kind. The plaintiff, who held partial copyright to Ultraman, sued an AI company after its software created images that closely resembled the character. The Guangzhou Internet Court found the AI-generated images to be “substantially similar” to Ultraman and awarded 10,000 yuan (about $1,400) in damages.

This ruling follows a decision by a Beijing court in November that artists can copyright material generated by AI, potentially putting the two legal decisions in conflict. The latest ruling could fuel the debate over AI's potential to infringe on protected material, as courts worldwide grapple with this complex legal issue.

Key takeaways:

  • A Chinese court has ruled that an AI service infringed the copyright of the Ultraman character, marking what seems to be the first ruling of its kind.
  • The AI company, which remains unnamed, was sued by a plaintiff who held partial copyright to Ultraman for creating images that closely resembled the character.
  • The Guangzhou Internet Court awarded 10,000 yuan (about $1,400) in damages, stating that the AI-generated images were “substantially similar” to Ultraman.
  • This ruling may intensify the debate over AI's potential to infringe on protected material and raises complex legal questions that courts worldwide will need to address.
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