The U.S. Copyright Office's Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, expressed significant concerns about artificial intelligence during her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Intellectual Property.

The Copyright Office is currently working on a comprehensive three-part report addressing AI's impact on copyright law, with parts two and three expected by the end of 2024. The first part, released in July 2024, focused on AI-generated digital replicas and led to the NO FAKES Act, which aims to protect individuals' rights over their digital likeness and voice.

When asked about her primary concerns, Perlmutter cited the rapid pace of AI development as her main worry. While she believes copyright and AI issues will eventually be resolved, she expressed deeper concerns about AI's broader impact on humanity.

Key Upcoming Report Elements:

• Copyrightability of AI-generated materials
• Legal implications of training AI on copyrighted works
• Analysis of fair use in AI training

The Office received over 10,000 public comments following their August 2023 Notice of Inquiry. While most commenters agreed that existing fair use framework is adequate for AI training, there's significant disagreement about which specific uses qualify as fair use. Major points of contention include transparency requirements for AI companies regarding their training materials.

House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil emphasized the urgency of these reports, noting that their absence creates uncertainty for industries and hampers effective policymaking. Perlmutter assured that while meeting ambitious deadlines is important, ensuring accuracy and thoughtfulness in the reports remains the top priority.

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