Author granted copyright over book with AI-generated text—with a twist
The article discusses a recent development in copyright law regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create creative works. A retired US Army veteran, Elisa Shupe, recently filed a copyright registration for a novel she wrote using OpenAI's ChatGPT. The novel includes elements generated by AI, and Shupe had originally asked the US Copyright Office (USCO) to recognize her as the author of the whole text. However, the USCO declined this request and instead granted her copyright registration for the "selection, coordination, and arrangement of text generated by artificial intelligence." This means that while Shupe is the legal owner of the book's arrangement, the actual sentences and paragraphs themselves are not copyrighted and could be rearranged and published as a different book. The article notes that this limited copyright registration is notable but highlights the ongoing struggle between the USCO and creators regarding the use of AI in creative works.