EVA welcomes the adoption of the AI Act by the European Parliament, which represents a key milestone in safeguarding the moral and economic rights of artists and enhancing their unique creativity in the digital age.
The law, which is the first-ever AI regulation, paves the way for a more responsible development, governance, and application of artificial intelligence, based on the respect of the fundamental rights that underpin our society.
Human visual authors shape the European cultural landscape, contributing to the richness and diversity of European identity. Despite their invaluable contributions, they face significant obstacles, including unfair contracts and compensation, as well as insufficient social protection. Furthermore, AI exacerbates their vulnerability, hindering their ability to have a fair and regular income.
While certain uses of AI may expand creativity, generative AI often violates authors’ rights by scraping protected artworks for training purposes, while creating unfair competition and impacting their working conditions. The reservation of rights under Articles 3 and 4 of the DSM Directive hardly applies to generative AI. On the other hand, the transparency obligations outlined in the AI Act will help artists protect their rights, as long as the rightsholders are involved in the implementation process.
Policymakers must now continue their efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the AI Act, aligning with EU copyright law and protecting authors’ rights.
The press release is available for download here.