The application of copyright law to AI training is complex. The CC licenses are copyright licenses, so it follows that applying CC licenses to AI training is just as complex. 

The short answer is: AI training is often permitted by copyright. This means that the CC license conditions have limited application to machine reuse. This also means that using a more restrictive CC license in an effort to prevent AI training is not an effective approach. In fact, restrictive licensing may actually end up preventing the kind of sharing you want (like allowing for translation, for example), while not being effective to block AI training. 

For the long answer, read our new guide that provides a legal analysis and overview of the considerations when using CC-licensed works for AI training. 

  For an at-a-glance overview, head over to the Using CC-Licensed Works for AI training webpage. 

  For a more in-depth analysis, check out our handy PDF download. 

For those who love a visual, take a look at our supplementary flowchart. 

If the CC licenses have limited application to machine reuse, what agency do creators have in the AI ecosystem? 

This is an important question. As you’ve heard us talk about before, we’re actively developing a CC preference signals framework to help bridge this gap. The framework is designed to offer new choices for stewards of large collections of content to signal their preferences when sharing their works, using scaffolding inspired by the architecture of the CC licenses. This is not mediated through copyright or the CC licenses. It is governed by something that tends to be even more widely adopted: a social contract. Stand by for the release of the paper prototype of CC preference signals framework at the end of June 2025. 

While you are here, please consider making an annual recurring donation via our Open Infrastructure Circle. This work will require a large amount of resourcing, over many years, to make happen. 

The post Understanding CC Licenses and AI Training: A Legal Primer appeared first on Creative Commons.

As our world faces increasingly complex and interconnected challenges, it becomes clear that innovation and collaboration are essential to finding viable solutions. Creative Commons is proud of the thousands who make our global community. And this year, we’re expanding. We’re endeavoring to connect with groups who we’ve identified as emerging audiences: AI developers, NFT creators, and entrepreneurs.

If you are involved in any of these fields, we invite you to participate in our survey and share your experiences with us. Your contributions will help us to gain a deeper understanding of the unique perspectives, needs, and aspirations of these communities that we’re eager to engage with and serve.

AI Developers

Generative AI has become increasingly prevalent in our daily lives. With these developments, it’s important these advancements are developed responsibly and ethically. By engaging with AI developers, Creative Commons hopes to provide valuable resources and tools to help AI developers navigate the complex landscape of copyright and licensing in the digital age. Moreover, AI developers bring a wealth of expertise and perspective to the Creative Commons community. As experts in machine learning, data analytics, and other cutting-edge technologies, they are uniquely positioned to help develop innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

NFT Creators

Connecting with NFT creators is essential to creating empowering licensing standards in the landscape of digital creativity. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are digital assets that represent ownership of unique, one-of-a-kind pieces of content, such as art, music, or videos. Our open licenses, by providing a flexible and customizable way to license work, foster autonomy, collaboration, and innovation. We believe this can help NFT creators gain further visibility and sustainability for their work.  By working together, Creative Commons and NFT creators can help shape the future of digital content creation and distribution.

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs play a significant role in driving innovation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and driving new developments in the business sector.  We believe that through Creative Commons licenses, entrepreneurs can safeguard their intellectual property rights while also facilitating the free exchange of ideas and creativity. Contrary to the popular belief that competition is the driver of success in business, we believe business is more fruitful when we can unlock the full range of our collective creativity.

Connecting with these emerging audiences is vital to our mission of developing a more creative and interconnected world.

Following the insights of this survey, we’ll dive deep into other forms of research and connect with individuals who have expressed interest in 1:1 interviews.  Through deep engagement with AI developers, NFT creators, and entrepreneurs, Creative Commons hopes to tap into a reservoir of creativity and ingenuity that will propel collaboration and innovation forward. We look forward to learning more about how we can serve you.

For questions, or to get further involved in this research, please reach out to Naily Nevarez.

The post Elevating Emerging Audiences: Share Your Experience appeared first on Creative Commons.