Indonesia's AI Copyright Law: A Global First?

Indonesia is advancing a draft bill to overhaul its copyright law, aiming to be the first country in Southeast Asia to explicitly address artificial intelligence within copyright protections. This legislative initiative seeks to regulate the burgeoning impact of generative AI on creative industries. The proposed changes include requirements for disclosing AI usage in content creation and a ban on using AI to mimic an artist's unique style.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that tech platforms provide compensation for aggregating, republishing, or linking to news content, and for utilizing such material in AI training. These funds would be channeled through state-supervised organizations to news publishers. Works generated with AI assistance could receive copyright protection, provided they demonstrate sufficient human involvement, though fully AI-generated content would be excluded. The use of copyrighted materials for AI training will be subject to fair-use provisions or licensing agreements, signaling a significant regulatory shift.

This move by Indonesia aligns with global discussions on AI governance and copyright. It follows a recent agreement by Indonesia and 29 other nations to establish an intergovernmental body for AI cooperation and governance. While the bill is still under government review, tech giants like Google have expressed concerns, warning that overly rigid mandates could stifle innovation. The Indonesian government, however, views AI regulation as a critical global issue, referencing ongoing international legal battles over AI training data.