AI-Generated Comic Book Reportedly Loses Copyright Protections – CNET [CNET]

The written parts created by the author will still be protected, however.

While industries debate over how to integrate AI-created content, the US Copyright Office has reportedly pulled some protections from a graphic novel that was made with AI.

The Copyright Office reportedly decided that the individual images in the graphic novel, Zarya of the Dawn, that had been created by the AI Midjourney would not be protected by copyright, according to a letter acquired by Reuters. The copyright would be granted to the parts of the comic that had been crafted by the human author — specifically, the writing and the work as a whole. 

The Copyright Office had originally registered the work under copyright but discovered through social media that the author had used the AI Midjourney to help create the graphic novel — the word Midjourney was listed alongside the author’s name on the comic’s cover image, implying co-authorship, but its contribution wasn’t disclosed on the copyright application. 

After clarification on the author’s contribution and methodology of using an AI to generate images, the Copyright Office narrowed what a new copyright would protect: the text and author’s instructions to AI, but not the artwork the AI had produced. 

Creative industries have taken different approaches to integrating AI-crafted work. The photo services Getty Images and Shutterstock started removing AI-generated images late last year, while Adobe Stock announced it would accept them. 

The US Copyright Office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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