Montreal, February 17, 2025 鈥 Copibec remains skeptical about the conclusions of the recent report from the Consultation on Copyright in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence.
Unveiled simultaneously with the closing day of the Summit for Action on Artificial Intelligence in Paris, at the end of which Canada signed a joint declaration, this long-awaited report follows a consultation conducted by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISDE) between October 2023 and January 2024, aimed at better understanding the effects of generative AI and the market, and during which Copibec presented its position and the demands of the book sector.
The eleven observations arising from the questions raised during the consultation (text and data mining, ownership of AI-generated works, and AI infringement and liability) reflect the positions of the participants.
The general observation we can make is that this is a descriptive report, and we would have liked to see a firmer commitment from the government to meet the needs expressed by creators. Needless to say, the delay between the consultations and the publication of the report聽鈥 just over a year聽鈥 should have benefited the government, since artificial intelligence and the thoughts behind it are rife throughout the world.
It鈥檚 also worth noting that Bill C-27 from the last Parliament was also part of the debate on artificial intelligence. Creators have stressed the importance of transparency and respect for the Copyright Act in the context of the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act.
鈥淭here is an urgent need to act on artificial intelligence, and we will continue to assert the rights of creators and mobilize for better regulation through the Copyright Act and the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act,鈥 says Christian Laforce, Copibec鈥檚 General Manager.
While the government recognizes that these issues may call into question the foundations of copyright, it nevertheless believes that copyright remains relevant in the age of generative AI.
鈥淎 government cannot stop at the simple conclusion of the relevance of copyright in the age of generative AI. It must make a firm commitment to protecting creators, as well as civil society as a whole, who are witnessing the onslaught of technological advances and suffering the consequences. The first reflex should not be to see the law as a brake on innovation. Rather, it bears its own fruit, and collecting societies are part of the solution,鈥 concludes Christian Laforce.
About Copibec
Founded in 1997 by the Union des 茅crivaines et des 茅crivains qu茅b茅cois (UNEQ) and the Association nationale des 茅diteurs de livres (ANEL), the Quebec reproduction rights collective Copibec specializes in copyright management. More than 30,000 authors and over 1,400 publishing houses are represented by Copibec, which also manages legal access to reproductions of works by visual artists through licensing.
鈥 30聽鈥
Source
Copibec
Informations
Christian Laforce
Copibec鈥檚 General Manager
c.laforce@copibec.ca
450 646-6362