Uncertainty around who owns AI-generated content in South Africa

[Luis]

Who owns the video, music, and writing created with AI in South Africa

Under current interpretations of South African law, the user is generally regarded as the most likely copyright owner for works created with AI tools.

That is the view of law firm Wright Rose-Innes, on the basis that the user directed the creation process through their input. However, it acknowledged this approach was not without controversy.

 

[FiestaST]

Crazy long in the game

 

[Lycanthrope]

Who owns the executable produced by a compiler? Who owns the photograph made with a camera? Who owns the song produced in a DAW?

Apparently authorship only becomes mysterious and enigmatic once the tool is fashionable enough to frighten Luddites.

Tools don't generally own output. The person directing the work does. This only becomes controversial because “AI” evidently causes people to forget how tools work.

Unless people are starting to genuinely consider the “self” behind AI, in which case we’re entering a genuinely fascinating philosophical conversation. Somehow, reading this article, I doubt that's anywhere near where we are.

The lizard brain is still too busy being offended by its own caricature of the thing it doesn’t understand and doesn’t want to understand.

 

[saor]

Where the user’s contribution is minimal, for example, where a simple or generic prompt produces a highly complex output, it becomes difficult to justify full ownership based on human creativity alone.”

An employer tells their staff to do something. The instruction is simple, but the amount of work involved is enormous. This difference between low input vs high output has zero bearing on the fact that the employer owns the complex output of that simple instruction.

 

[Corelli]

It belongs to the Ai.

Anything that you input into the Ai actually belongs to the Ai. So all those idiots who have been capturing company software code into ChatGPT yes it actually belongs to ChatGPT and they would happily share it with your competitor without your permission. I have now dealt with 5 development companies who has discovered just that. 3x due to programmers and 2x due to software testers, who uploaded company developed code into ChatGPT only to find their competitor brings out an almost identical version with the help of ChatGPT.

Welcome to the world of Ai.

Everything you input into the Ai, belongs to the Ai. And you will be shocked how many personal information people put into the Ai.

You really need to see the movie Eagle Eye, if you havent. Rather than just your financial records, where you work, etc, now far more information is being captured (Personal, Financial, Criminal, etc)

 

[saor]

It belongs to the Ai.

yes it actually belongs to ChatGPT

Does it belong 'to the AI' or the company that runs the AI? How can the tool have ownersip of something? Surely you mean OpenAI, Anthropic etc. is who it belongs to. That's a bit like saying your google docs spreadsheet belongs to Sheets rather than google.

 

[wizardofid]

It belongs to the Ai.

Anything that you input into the Ai actually belongs to the Ai. So all those idiots who have been capturing company software code into ChatGPT yes it actually belongs to ChatGPT and they would happily share it with your competitor without your permission. I have now dealt with 5 development companies who has discovered just that. 3x due to programmers and 2x due to software testers, who uploaded company developed code into ChatGPT only to find their competitor brings out an almost identical version with the help of ChatGPT.

Welcome to the world of Ai.

Everything you input into the Ai, belongs to the Ai. And you will be shocked how many personal information people put into the Ai.

You really need to see the movie Eagle Eye, if you havent. Rather than just your financial records, where you work, etc, now far more information is being captured (Personal, Financial, Criminal, etc)

Not always Suno as an example, as a subscriber you have the full copyright and commercial rights to whatever you create.

 

[Kosmik]

Does it belong 'to the AI' or the company that runs the AI? How can the tool have ownersip of something? Surely you mean OpenAI, Anthropic etc. is who it belongs to. That's a bit like saying your google docs spreadsheet belongs to Sheets rather than google.

His response showed a lack of understanding between tool and owner.

If you use a tool that allows its data to be used for training, don't be shocked.

There are plans for business use where it's specifically excluded as well as self host options and direct ai. If you use ip on "open" ai's ( ie non private closed ), you get the privacy you pay for.

 

[Unreal]

This is not a philosophical debate.
What do the T’s and C’s say?

 

[RedViking]

Lol, AI "artists" thinking they are actually artist is hilarious.

 

[bwana]

Under current interpretations of South African law, the user is generally regarded as the most likely copyright owner for works created with AI tools.

As it should be. AI is a tool. When I take a photo Canon doesn’t own the copyright, why should AI be any different?

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

When you toast bread in a toaster, does the toast belong to you or the toaster?

 

[Lupus]

When you toast bread in a toaster, does the toast belong to you or the toaster?

You ask the toaster?

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

You ask the toaster?
View attachment 1919615

When you perform the function of toasting bread inside a toaster then you are also a toaster. Let's toast to that

 

[RedViking]

As it should be. AI is a tool. When I take a photo Canon doesn’t own the copyright, why should AI be any different?

Because a photo you take with your Canon is a unique photo, until you upload it to Google.....

AI generates images from others content.

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

Because a photo you take with your Canon is a unique photo, until you upload it to Google.....

AI generates images from others content.

Irrespective of what it uses or how it does it, it's still a tool. If I trace a drawing you made, does the traced image belong to the pen I used to do it? Or does the tracing belong to you? Or does it belong to me?

 

[RedViking]

Irrespective of what it uses or how it does it, it's still a tool. If I trace a drawing you made, does the traced image belong to the pen I used to do it? Or does the tracing belong to you? Or does it belong to me?

Whatever you want it to be, it is not the same as taking a photo with a camera which is a unique result.

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

Whatever you want it to be, it is not the same as taking a photo with a camera which is a unique result.

Photos aren't necessarily always unique though. One could fairly easily copy another photo if they wanted to (using their camera). And tracings can be very unique. But your AI hatred is clouding your judgement, so I'll not belabour the point.

 

[RedViking]

But your AI hatred is clouding your judgement,

Sorry you are overreacting now. Stupid comment. I never said I hate AI. Calm down.

 

[bwana]

Because a photo you take with your Canon is a unique photo, until you upload it to Google.....

AI generates images from others content.

If you create a photo mosaic/photomontage from other people’s photos it’s considered an original work of art.