Concerns are rising that AI models are using news content without permission during training, leading to demands for legal protection and fair compensation for publishers. India’s DPIIT has set up a committee to examine copyright concerns related to AI and content usage.
Challenges for News Industry
AI systems are trained using massive amounts of online content, including news reports.
This content is produced by journalists and media houses with years of expertise, yet is used without consent.
Past digital shifts have already impacted the economic stability of traditional media.
Social media and tech platforms have benefited from news content while returning little value to its original creators.
Threat from AI Models
AI can summarise and reproduce news content without linking or crediting the original publishers properly.
This worsens the monetisation crisis in journalism, where earning sources are shrinking.
Claims of “fair use” by AI firms are often seen as unjust, especially when profits are made using scraped content.
Need for Legal Protection
News publishers must have the right to control how their content is used by AI systems.
Compensation should be agreed upon before AI models use this data.
The step by the DPIIT to form a copyright and AI committee is timely and necessary.
Conclusion
The journalism sector must be protected in the AI era. Content creators deserve a share of the benefits generated by AI systems that rely heavily on their work. Legal reforms and policy actions are now essential.
