India is exploring revisions to its Copyright Act to address the growing role of artificial intelligence in creating and using creative works. Lawmakers and policy experts are discussing how the law should evolve so that AI‑generated content and the data used to train AI models are covered under updated copyright and royalty frameworks. The move comes as stakeholders raise concerns about how creators can be compensated when AI systems learn from and build on human‑authored material.
Under consideration is a proposal to introduce mechanisms that would ensure royalties or compensation flow to artists, writers, musicians, and other rights holders whose work contributes to AI training datasets. Supporters argue that current laws do not adequately protect creators in an era where AI models ingest massive amounts of copyrighted content — from books and music to images and video — often without explicit consent or payment.
At the same time, experts caution that any updates must strike a careful balance. Overly rigid royalty requirements could hinder innovation or make it difficult for Indian AI developers and startups to compete, especially given the global nature of AI research and data flows. Policymakers are therefore considering models that would protect creators while still encouraging healthy growth in the AI sector.
The proposal also includes discussions on clarifying ownership of AI‑generated works, defining when a human creator is involved, and determining what qualifies as derivative content. Lawmakers have indicated that public consultations and stakeholder input will play a key role in shaping any final changes, with the aim of creating a copyright framework fit for the AI era.
