Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming familiar industries — from healthcare to online entertainment. For example, in recent years, many European companies operating in the field of online casina and digital games have increasingly used AI to create unique interfaces and personalized promotions. However, as opportunities grow, the question becomes more pressing: how can copyright be protected for works created not by humans, but by machines? This is especially relevant for the European Union, where intellectual property regulation is considered among the strictest in the world.
Why Does AI Cause Problems with Copyright?
Traditional copyright law is based on the idea that a human being is the creator of a work. The legislation of different EU countries recognizes personal contribution, creative originality, and the author’s unique vision. But what happens when the author is an algorithm? For example, generative models can write texts, create music, or even develop graphics for websites, including those related to online casina and other types of digital entertainment.
In such cases, several questions immediately arise: who owns the rights to the final product? Can AI be considered an independent legal entity? Should the developer of the system automatically receive copyright to its “creations”? Today, there are no unified answers to these questions.
Moreover, the issue of secondary use of content arises. AI is trained on existing works, which may violate the rights of their original authors. For instance, if a neural network creates an image in the style of a specific artist without their consent, isn’t that a violation?
How Is the European Union Responding?
The European Commission recognizes the existing gaps in legislation and has been actively working for several years to address them. One important step was the adoption of the 2019 Digital Copyright Directive, which regulates the use of protected content on platforms, including the internet. However, it does not directly address the issue of AI creativity.
Developing specific provisions on “works created by artificial intelligence” is now on the agenda. Several options are being discussed in the EU:
Assigning rights to the owner or operator of the AI.
Introducing a new legal concept of a “machine-created work.”
Limiting protection only to works in which a human participated.
Each of these solutions has its advantages and disadvantages. Assigning rights to the AI owner could stimulate investment in new technologies. However, it could also jeopardize the rights of traditional authors whose works are used to train systems.
Additionally, the EU is actively analyzing the impact of AI on related fields, including advertising technologies and the online entertainment market, where content personalization and targeting have become standard thanks to neural networks. This is why finding a balance between protecting authors and promoting innovation is so crucial.
Specific Regulatory Challenges
One of the most difficult issues is determining authorship. A system that creates, say, an original script for a video game or a banner for online casina essentially acts automatically, without direct human intervention. In such cases, it is difficult to assess the level of creativity and human contribution.
There is also the problem of licensing. If AI creates a work based on a massive array of training data, who and how should pay for the use of the original works? Is it necessary to sign licensing agreements with the rights holders of every element used for training?
Another problem is liability for copyright infringement. If the system violates rights by creating a work that resembles a protected trademark or character, who will bear legal responsibility? The AI manufacturer? The user? The platform owners?
Future Regulation Prospects
At the moment, EU countries are taking cautious steps toward creating a comprehensive regulatory framework. The European Parliament is actively discussing the need for a separate act regulating intellectual property in the AI era.
One of the proposed solutions is the creation of AI system registries involved in creative activities. This would help track the origin of works and reduce the risk of violations. The idea of mandatory disclosure of AI use in content creation is also being discussed.
Equally important is that the concept of ethical AI is actively being promoted in EU countries. Future copyright regulation will likely take into account not only legal aspects but also issues of fairness, transparency, and respect for traditional forms of creativity.
What Does This Mean for the Czech Republic?
As an active participant in the European digital market, the Czech Republic also faces the need to adapt its legislation. The gaming, IT, and online entertainment sectors are rapidly developing in the country, meaning that the issue of copyright for AI-generated works is becoming increasingly relevant.
In recent years, Czech startups in online casina, mobile applications, and game development have been increasingly using machine learning algorithms to create content and optimize platform operations. This increases interest in legal questions: how to register rights to such works? How to avoid authorship disputes?
It is expected that the Czech Republic will closely monitor pan-European trends and gradually adapt its regulatory framework to the new realities.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence poses a serious challenge to traditional copyright concepts. The European Union is faced with the necessity of finding a balance between supporting innovation and protecting the interests of content creators. The speed and quality of legislative decisions will determine the development not only of AI technologies but also of the entire digital economy, including promising sectors such as online entertainment and personalized gaming. In the coming years, Europe may well set the standard for intellectual property regulation in the age of artificial intelligence.