IPOPHL reminds Filipino creatives: Use AI only as tools to improve work, not to replace human creativity
MANILA – The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines on Wednesday reminded Filipino creatives on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in their body of work, emphasizing that it should never replace human creativity.
This, as the body assured that no purely AI-generated work will be granted copyright protection while they craft the proposed new draft guidelines for the copyright registration of AI-related works.
“Dapat nandoon pa rin na the AI should be there not to replace human creativity. We believe na ang ating mga creatives, ang mga artists natin ay hindi kulang sa creativity, but use AI as a tool in order to improve our work,” IPOPHL Bureau of Copyright and Related Rights Director Emerson Cuyo said in an interview with state media PTV Wednesday, November 4.
The proposed guidelines, which was presented during an initial public consultation last September, wants to establish clear rules in registering AI-related works, asserting that copyright protection may extend to such works as long as it contains “original expression attributable to human creative contribution that meets the originality requirement” under the Copyright Law.
“It’s not automatic that it [AI-related works] can be registered. Maaari lamang pong mairehistro o mapahintulutang mairehistro kung may sapat na orihinal at malikhaing ambag mula sa tao, hindi protektado ang mga bahaging gawa ng AI or purely AI-generated content, at dapat po nilang ideklara ito upon registration,” Cuyo said.
The move also encourages “truthful disclosure” in registering applications on AI-related works, according to Cuyo.
“Whenever we receive a copyright registration application ay susuriin natin on a case-by-case basis. Gusto nating malaman at alamin kung ano nga ba ang human creative input o ambag ng isang tao sa isang akda o work. At kung ang input na ito ay sufficient ba para pahintulutan o hayaang irehistro o isama sa ating copyright registry ang naturang work,” the official noted.
The guidelines propose four categories of AI-related works: AI-Assisted Work, AI-Enhanced Work, Hybrid Work and AI-Generated Output.
An AI-Assisted work, the IPOPHL said, is when AI may be used as a “tool during the creative process, but the human author must contribute original expression to the resulting work”.
An AI-Enhanced Work, meanwhile, pertains to a work “created by a human and is later modified or enhanced using AI,” while Hybrid Work refers to one which “combines human-authored and AI-generated elements.”
On the other hand, an AI-Generated Output which has no sufficient human creative contribution “would not qualify for copyright registration to the extent that it lacks original human expression.”
Cuyo said they continue to receive feedback on the proposed guidelines as public consultations are still underway.
“Whatever the resulting draft will now be submitted to our officers, top management of IPOPHL. And if necessary and as they deem it necessary, we’ll subject it to further consultations. But kapag okay na po sa kanila, ilalabas na po natin ang final guidelines on the registrability and implementation of the AI guidelines,” he stated.
Interested stakeholders may view the copy of the proposed guidelines on www.ipophl.gov.ph.