Can You Get Copyright Protection for your AI-Generated Content?

Newsflash, the Copyright Office has denied protection for AI-created art. But what does this mean for you if you're just a coach or an online creator?

In this post, I'm going to tell you all about why coaches and content creators need to care about the fact that the Copyright Office has said, no protection for AI created work.

backstory: AI-created art was denied copyright protection

Make it stand out

This photo shows art that was created via an AI platform and prompt author Kristina Kashtanova. (It was created as part of a graphic novel entitled Zarya of the Dawn.)

If you've used an AI platform before, you know that the first step is typing in a prompt, and then the AI machine creates either text or artwork based on your prompt.

Well, the Copyright Office has said that this process does not result in a “work of human authorship.” This is something a computer created. Much like a long time ago, there was a monkey that took a photo with the camera. And there was a debate over who owned the copyright in that photo. Does the monkey own it? Is it just the camera’s property? Is it the property of the person who owns the camera?

Well, the US Copyright Office confirmed that, in this case, this piece of art does not meet the human authorship requirements under copyright law.

Why you should care about copyright protection for AI-generated

(even if you’re not creating graphic designs)

So what does this decision by the US Copyright Office mean? Who cares? Why do you care if you're not creating graphic novels?

I’ll tell you why.

If something is not protectable under copyright law, then there's absolutely nothing you can do if someone copies it.

Here’s an example of AI-generated work in the online business space.

Let’s say you created a sales page or blog post using AI, and someone completely copies and pastes it.

Because you can’t protect the original (at least not any part that was created by AI), it's not your copyright. It's not protectable under copyright law, because you did not author that work — AI did.

And so if someone copies it, there nothing you can do about it.

Maybe you care, maybe you don't care, maybe you're just using AI as a quick, easy button to get some content thrown up on your website.

But this is a buyer beware situation where you need to go in with eyes wide open. And that's why I'm here.

The biggest takeaway when it comes to protecting AI-generated content?

AI is an incredible new technology. It can be great for creating content, for creating outlines, and for brainstorming. But remember: if you're using AI, consider creating content around the content that the AI has given you. Because if you just copy and paste whatever Chat GPT writes out as a blog post on the topic that you give it, you might not be able to enforce your rights if someone else copies it.

I hope that helps you understand how tricky it is to protect AI-created works via copyright law in the US and why content created with AI doesn't qualify for copyright protection in the US.