EU Copyright reform: Between promoting AI-based innovation and safeguarding the livelihood of authors and democracy

Abstract

The advent of generative AI, which enables the production of high-quality content comparable to copyright- protected works at significantly lower cost, poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of many creative professionals. If these professionals were driven out of the market, this could also have serious implications for democracy. In response to this situation, the European Parliament has called on the Commission to initiate a reform of EU copyright law. In preparing such reform, the Commission should aim to strike a fair balance between the interests of authors and publishers while also preserving sufficient incentives for AI development and supporting the competitiveness of the European AI sector.