Models of Legal Protection for Works Created with Involvement of Artificial Intelligence
Abstract
The research focuses on the legal mechanisms for protecting works created using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, taking into account their creation specifics and the degree of human creative involvement. The subject of the study is the system of legal mechanisms for protecting such works considering their creation features. The aim of the study is to develop theoretical and methodological foundations for a differentiated approach to legal protection of creative works created using AI technologies, and to formulate proposals for improving legislation in this area. The study hypothesizes the need to abandon the binary model of legal regulation (“protected or not protected”) in favor of a differentiated approach to determining the scope of protection depending on the degree of human creative participation and the level of AI system autonomy. The authors methodology includes formal legal, comparative legal, system-structural methods, and legal modeling. Based on the analysis of Russian and foreign legislation, doctrinal approaches, and judicial practice, the research justifies classifying AI works into three categories: those with predominant human creative contribution, hybrid works, and those with minimal human creative input. The study develops a system of criteria for evaluating the originality of algorithmically generated works (statistical uniqueness, result unpredictability, semantic coherence, aesthetic/functional value). A three-tier model of legal regulation for using protected works in machine learning processes is promoted, along with specific proposals for improving Russian intellectual property legislation considering modern technological challenges: amendments to Article 1228 of the Civil Code regarding criteria for the creative nature of an author’s activity when using AI; to Article 1259 — on the specifics of AI works’ legal regime; to Article 1274 — on free use of works for machine learning purposes; to Article 1286 — on licensing peculiarities for using works in machine learning; and introducing a new paragraph to Chapter 71 of the Code regulating rights to works created with minimal human creative participation (15-year protection period, indication of AI application).
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