A Tax on Machines for the Purpose of Giving a Bounty to the Dethroned Human Author – Towards an AI Levy for the Substitution of Human Literary and Artistic Works

Download This Paper Open PDF in Browser Add Paper to My Library Share: Permalink Using these links will ensure access to this page indefinitely Copy URL A Tax on Machines for the Purpose of Giving a Bounty to the Dethroned Human Author – Towards an AI Levy for the Substitution of Human Literary and Artistic Works 11 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2022 See all articles by Martin SenftlebenMartin SenftlebenInstitute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam; University of Amsterdam Date Written: January 28, 2022 Abstract In the light of the increasing sophistication of AI systems mimicking human literary and artistic productions, the following analysis proposes the imposition of a new legal obligation to pay a single equitable remuneration – an AI system “levy” – on users of AI systems that generate literary or artistic content. The existing remuneration system in the field of neighbouring rights for the use of phonograms could serve as a blueprint for this new remuneration regime. The AI levy would serve the overarching purpose of creating a new revenue stream to support the creative work of authors of flesh and blood. Revenues accruing from remuneration payments for the use of AI systems would be channelled to collecting societies which use the money for the purpose of fostering human literary and artistic productions. At the core of the proposal lies the expectation that AI systems in the field of literary and artistic production will reach a level of refinement that allows them to substitute human creations. Against this background, a mandatory, inescapable obligation to pay equitable remuneration is intended to make the use of AI-generated content more expensive and, at the same time, generate revenue that can be used to foster human creativity. Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI output, copyright, neighboring rights, levy, equitable remuneration, substitution, freedom of expression, freedom of art, art autonomy, aesthetic theory Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation Senftleben, Martin, A Tax on Machines for the Purpose of Giving a Bounty to the Dethroned Human Author – Towards an AI Levy for the Substitution of Human Literary and Artistic Works (January 28, 2022). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4123309 Martin Senftleben (Contact Author) Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam ( email ) Rokin 84Amsterdam, 1012 KXNetherlands University of Amsterdam ( email ) Roetersstraat 11Amsterdam, NE 1018 WBNetherlands Download This Paper Open PDF in Browser Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN? 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