Copyright law in the age of AI: analysing the AI-generated works and copyright challenges in Australia

In today’s era of technological advancement, creativity is no longer confined to the monopoly of human authors. As artificial intelligence (AI) emerges, it is now used to autonomously generate works similar or equal to those protected by copyright. While Australian copyright law has hitherto protected human-authored works, the advent of AI works raises questions about the application of copyright to these works. This article analyses the challenges posed by AI works to the traditional principles established in Australian copyright law, including the notions of human authorship and originality, ownership and material form. Furthermore, the article explores the justification for granting copyright protection, examining whether this protection should be extended to AI works. The article argues for a futuristic legislative approach, emphasising the need for legislative reforms to effectively address the complexities of preserving AI works.