Move over NFTs, there’s another Big Tech initiative that’s fundamentally shifting the creator economy.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and it’s okay if so — I have too), you’ll know that this AI stuff is becoming quite a big deal. But as we integrate AI more into creator content, whether it be AI-generated artwork or fully AI influencers, it’s important to have laws that protect creators’ livelihoods.
And late last Friday, we had a breakthrough. The European Union (EU) reached a tentative deal on the AI Act — the first piece of legislation to specifically target AI use not just in Europe but in the whole world.
There are still the formalities to get through — namely, formal approval of the law by the EU parliament and member states — but its significance can’t be understated. Even if the law doesn’t apply in America, it gives other lawmakers a precedent and foundation to build their own legal framework.
So, what kind of issues does this statute address?
One part creators should especially take note of is the requirement for watermarks on AI-generated content like deepfakes. This is significant in ensuring authenticity and honesty remain front and center, both with AI-assisted content in and of itself and how it’s disclosed to the public.
So, TLDR; should creators embrace AI in their projects? Sure, but they need to at least be honest about it.
Thanks to this statute, AI will also start being applied to EU copyright law, have its use in business/hiring practices more thoroughly “evaluated,” and provide more protections on the use of AI for deepfakes and facial scanning.
So, for now, at least, it looks like the creator economy will have a peaceful coexistence with AI — but somehow, I don’t think we’ve heard the last of AI”s constantly evolving impact in the creator space.
