Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) is set to testify at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property on Wednesday, as reported on April 9, 2024. CCIA's senior counsel for innovation policy, Joshua Landau, will be presenting insights to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet regarding potential issues surrounding AI-generated intellectual property.
During the hearing, Landau will emphasize the importance of maintaining AI as a complement to human creativity rather than a substitute for it. He will highlight that existing statutory laws and the efforts of institutions like the Copyright Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office play a crucial role in striking a balance between fostering human innovation and safeguarding intellectual works.
In a statement, Joshua Landau stressed, “AI will undoubtedly become a part of the ordinary process of invention and creation. But it is essential that we ensure it remains an adjunct to human creativity, not a replacement for it. Our current statutory law, the work conducted by the Copyright Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the decisions handed down in our courts all provide the correct balance between scope for human creativity and innovation and protection for intellectual works."
Furthermore, Landau pointed out, “It’s important to keep in mind that the Constitutional purpose of copyright and patent protection is not to provide economic rewards—it’s to ‘promote the progress of science and useful arts.’ The economic rewards are a means to that end. But AI does not require the same economic incentives as people.”
CCIA, with a history of over 50 years advocating for tech policy that drives innovation, released a whitepaper last year outlining AI policy recommendations. Their involvement in the upcoming House hearing underscores their commitment to addressing the evolving intersection of AI and intellectual property in a manner that upholds the principles of creativity and innovation.
