Government Reviews Copyright Act to Address AI Challenges

Review of Copyright Act in Light of AI Developments

New Delhi, Dec 17: The government is currently assessing the Copyright Act of 1957 to tackle new legal challenges posed by generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), as reported to Parliament.

On April 28, an eight-member committee was established by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to investigate and evaluate the implications of generative AI on copyright law, as stated by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada in a written response to the Lok Sabha.

Prasada confirmed, “An eight-member committee has been formed by DPIIT on April 28, 2025, to explore the emerging issues related to generative AI and its impact on copyright law.”

The committee has completed Part 1 of its working paper, which focuses on the utilization of copyrighted material in AI training, and this document has been made available for feedback from stakeholders.

“Part 1 of the Working Paper concerning the use of copyrighted content in AI training has been finalized and published for stakeholder input,” the minister noted.

Additionally, Prasada mentioned that the committee is currently reviewing matters related to authorship and the copyrightability of works generated by AI, which will be addressed in Part 2 of the working paper.

He emphasized the committee's mandate, which includes identifying and analyzing legal and policy challenges arising from AI's use in copyright, assessing the sufficiency of the existing Copyright Act, and providing recommendations based on their findings.

“Key tasks assigned to the committee include identifying and analyzing legal and policy issues related to AI in copyright and evaluating the adequacy of the Copyright Act, 1957, in addressing these challenges,” Prasada elaborated.

Furthermore, the minister confirmed that the government is actively engaging with key stakeholders throughout the review process.

“Yes,” he affirmed when asked if the law department has consulted or intends to consult major stakeholders, including news organizations, publishers, and technology representatives, to ensure that legal reforms balance innovation with effective copyright protection.