PETALING JAYA: With the rising usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in the arts, Malaysia’s current intellectual property (IP) laws may be ill-equipped to deal with the potential legal challenges of these AI-generated works, says the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO).
MyIPO deputy director-general (operations) Yusnieza Syarmila Yusoff said this was due to existing IP law being designed only for human artists which may result in possible gaps in future legal IP protection due to AI.
“The existing laws that govern trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial designs and layout designs were enacted during a time when only human contribution was the foundation of creativity.
“However, the rapid development of AI has created gaps that need to be addressed, especially in identifying who should be recognized as the owner for AI-based works,” she said at a press conference after launching the National Dialogue on Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Monday (Aug 18).
Other concerns Yusnieza raised included whether AI-generated creation should even be protected under copyright or patent law.
She added that recognising AI-generated works could also affect the originality and distinctiveness of the art industry as creative works are produced at the click of a button.
To help develop a solution to this issue, she said platforms like the National Dialogue on IP and AI were key to understanding the situation before considering any drastic changes in IP law.
Key discussions of the dialogue will focus on the possible recognition of works fully generated by machines and the role of AI in creating patents and designs among other topics.
The one-day dialogue hosted over 350 stakeholders and experts in the field of IP and AI which included government agencies, policymakers, legal practitioners, industry players, researchers and academics.
“MyIPO will use this dialogue to generate valuable input and forward-thinking perspectives to assist our ongoing efforts to strengthen our IP ecosystem in line with the realities of the digital age and AI.
“Malaysia must be ready to engage in the growing global discourse of AI-generated works and IP laws, and shape policies that are both progressive and aligned with our national priorities,” Yusnieza said.
