Table of Contents
Judge Beryl A. Howell, in the United States, decided that art made by computers using artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be protected by copyright.
The judge made this decision in a case against the US Copyright Office by a person named Stephen Thaler. Thaler wanted to copyright a picture created by a computer program he made called Creativity Machine.
Thaler tried many times to get the copyright for the picture, but the Copyright Office always said “no”. He wanted the computer program to be recognized as the creator of the picture, and he the owner of the picture.
Last year, Thaler took the Copyright Office to court. He said the Office’s decisions were not fair and against the law.
However, Judge Howell didn’t agree with him. She said copyright has only been given to art and creations made by people. Copyright means ownership of something you create.
She mentioned examples from the past to support this. One example was a famous case where a monkey took a selfie. Neither the monkey nor the owner of the camera was able to copyright the photo.
Thaler plans to appeal, which means he wants to ask a different judge to look at the case again. Thaler’s lawyer, Ryan Abbot, also disagreed with the judge’s decision.
There are currently many cases about AI and copyright in the US with famous names like Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft. People say tech companies are copying data and copyrighted material without permission.
Vocabulary
- Judge – A person who decides who is right and who is wrong in a court of law; 👩⚖️
- Artificial intelligence (AI) – human intelligence in a machine; A system that can think and learn like a human; See more here.
- Protected – kept safe or secure; guarded
- Copyright – ©; protection from someone copying your work
- Case – a situation or problem that is being looked at by a judge; A legal dispute between two or more people
- Be recognized as – To be acknowledged as the creator or owner of something; when people know and understand something to be true; to be given credit for something
- Creator – producer; someone who makes something new; a person who makes content
- Owner – The person who has the right to control something; the person who has something and can decide what happens to it.
- Take someone to court – to bring a legal case against someone and ask a judge to make a decision; to take legal action against someone; to sue
- Fair – to follow or go by the rules or standards; honorable; proper; agreeing with what is thought to be right or acceptable;
- Against the law – not following a law or legal rule; break a law; don’t do what you’re supposed to do legally;
- Agree – To have the same opinion or feeling as someone else; to say “yes” to something
- Creation – Something that has been created/made by someone
- Ownership – being an owner; the fact that you own something
- Mention – to briefly or quickly talk about something; to say something, but not talk in detail about it
- Example – something that shows what you’re talking about; A specific instance of something; sample
- Past – The time before the present; things that happened before now.
- Support – to agree with a person or idea; to approve of an idea; promote; to help
- Selfie – a picture you take of yourself
- Neither – “not one nor the other” when talking about two things;
- Plan – want; aim; to intend to do something
- Appeal – To ask a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court; to ask a higher-up person to look at a decision again.
- Lawyer – a person who studies and works with laws; attorney; solicitor
- Currently – happening right now; At the present time
- Tech company (technology) – a company that makes new technology or software; a company with digital services or products
- Material – content; something used for study; things needed for an activity
- Permission – allowed to do; authorization; approval; it’s OK to do
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What do you think about Judge Howell’s decision that AI-made art can’t be protected by copyright? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
- How do you feel about AI-created art? Should it have the same rights as art made by humans? Explain your answer.
- What do you think about the case of the monkey and the selfie? Should the monkey have been able to copyright the photo?
- Do you think tech companies are copying data and copyrighted material without permission?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Judge Beryl A. Howell, in the United States, _____ that art made by computers using artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be protected _____ copyright.
The judge made this decision in a _____ against the US Copyright Office by a person named Stephen Thaler. Thaler wanted to copyright a picture created _____ a computer program he made called Creativity _____.
Thaler tried many times to _____ the copyright for the picture, but the Copyright Office always said “no”. He wanted the computer program to be _____ as the creator of the picture, and he the owner of the _____.
Last year, Thaler _____ the Copyright Office to court. He said the Office’s decisions were not fair and _____ the law.
However, Judge Howell didn’t _____ with him. She said copyright has only been given to art and creations made by people. Copyright _____ ownership of something you create.
She mentioned examples _____ the past to support this. One example was a famous case where a monkey took a _____. Neither the monkey nor the owner of the camera was _____ to copyright the photo.
Thaler plans to appeal, which _____ he wants to ask a different judge to look at the case again. Thaler’s lawyer, Ryan Abbot, also disagreed with the _____ decision.
There are currently many cases about AI _____ copyright in the US with famous names like Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft. People say _____ companies are copying data and copyrighted material _____ permission.
