AI and the copyright challenge
Abstract
The study entitled AI and the copyright challenge analyzes certain challenges related to the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright, with a primary focus on the developments within the European Union.
The study examines issues arising in relation to the input side of the GenAI, with particular regard to the challenges arising from EU legislation and the evolving case law. Within this part, it analyzes the text and data mining exception in the CDSM Directive and the relevant emerging case law (the German LAION-case and the Hungarian-initiated Like Company case of the CJEU).
In addition, generative AI practices are analyzed and possible legal assessments of the output side are examined, including transformative free uses and a potential style protection (with reference to the Advocate General's opinion in the Pelham II case). Furthermore, in this context, the study examines the open letters and other policy documents of rights holders' international organizations.
From these two perspectives, the study examines the latest regulatory attempt within the European Union copyright framework, which has been implemented through the copyright provisions of the AI Act and is guided by a Code of Practice. As only the expert version was available at the time of completion of the study, only the expected practical effects are presented for the time being.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Anikó Grad-Gyenge; Edit Tomasovszky

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