European Union lawmakers have demanded artificial intelligence (AI) providers pay for their use of copyrighted European content as they called for expanded rules to apply to generative AI.
In a report adopted by the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee, lawmakers demanded full transparency about what content is used for generative AI systems and fair remuneration for creators.
Generative AI systems are a subset of artificial intelligence that create novel content — including text, images, audio, code and 3D models. They do this by identifying and mimicking patterns in vast training data.
These systems, such as ChatGPT, Midjourney and Claude, utilise deep learning, specifically foundation models such as transformers, to generate human-like outputs in response to user prompts.
The EP’s legal affairs committee also called for the news media industry to have total control over the use of its content for training AI systems, including the right of refusal.
Its call comes ahead of a review of the EU’s copyright rules this summer.
The lawmakers urged the European Commission to make sure the sector gets adequate payment for any use.
EU copyright law should apply to all generative AI systems available in the bloc’s market, regardless of where the training happens, the committee added.
The EU has comprehensive rules on AI, adopted in 2024, which stipulate that such systems must comply with current copyright law.
There is, though, uncertainty about how the rules should apply to general purpose AI, systems that have a vast range of functions, parliamentary research found.
Current exceptions on text and data mining “are not clear enough, thus legal limitations and uncertainty remain problematic”, the document said, referring to academic research.
“Generative AI must not operate outside the rule of law. If copyrighted works are used to train AI systems, creators are entitled to transparency, legal certainty, and fair compensation,” said German MEP Axel Voss, pushing the issue through parliament said.
“Innovation cannot come at the expense of copyright, both can and must coexist,” Voss added.
Adopted in committee by a wide majority, the proposal will be put to a vote by the full parliament during its plenary session in March.
