Towards the Development of a Copyright Risk Checker Tool for Generative Artificial Intelligence Systems

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) is fundamentally changing the ways of working and blurring the boundaries between human and machine-generated contents. While there is an increasing interest in the adoption of GAI systems, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, there are also serious concerns about the copyright of the contents—the inputs or generated as outputs by the GAI systems. Such concerns need to be identified and assessed to ensure the ethical and responsible use of GAI systems. Thus, this article aims to address the key research challenge: “how to identify and assess GAI system's copyright concerns”? In response, we propose the development of a Copyright Risk Checker (CRC) Tool. This tool has been formulated and evaluated using a recognised design science research methodology, drawing on an analysis of 10 legal cases across Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe. The CRC Tool has undergone evaluation through an experimental scenario, and the results suggest that it is suitable for conducting an indicative copyright risk check of GAI systems. The outcomes of this preliminary assessment can be further examined by expert legal advisors for an in-depth analysis. The development of the CRC Tool provides a foundation for continued research and advancement in this significant area of study.