IntermediateLesson 5 of 68 min read
Who owns what you create?
A course from the Academy: Creating with AI: images, videos and ideas
Go to the quiz ↓You've generated a stunning image. Can you sell it? Put it on a t-shirt? Can someone "steal" it from you? The law around AI-generated creation is young and shifting, but a few solid reference points already exist.
What the law says (simplified)
- A "raw" generated image generally isn't copyrightable: without substantial human creative input, there's no protection. In practice: anyone can reuse a purely generated image.
- Your input changes the game: selection, edits, composition, integration into a broader work... the more real your touch, the more protectable the whole thing becomes.
- Each platform has its own rules: some grant you commercial use, others reserve it for paid subscriptions. Before selling anything, read the tool's "licence" or "terms" page. Two minutes that save you serious trouble.
The clear-cut red lines
- The face or voice of a real person without their consent: prohibited (right to one's image). Non-consensual deepfakes are criminally sanctioned in France.
- Deliberately imitating an identifiable living artist ("in the style of [name]") for commercial use: a legally risky and ethically contested zone. Better to describe a style by its characteristics.
- Passing off generated content as real (fake news photos): that's disinformation, and labelling AI content is becoming mandatory in more and more contexts (European AI Act).
The good practice that protects you
Be transparent when the context calls for it ("AI-generated illustration"), keep your working files (prompts, versions, edits) as proof of your creative input, and check the tool's licence before any commercial use.
Analogy. A generated image is like a seashell found on the beach: anyone can pick up the same one. But the necklace YOU make with it, your assembly, your choices, your work, that belongs to you. The more visible your work, the more the object is yours.
Key takeaways
- Raw generated = generally unprotected; your creative input = protection.
- Always check the tool's licence before commercial use.
- Someone else's face/voice without consent and fake images of reality: prohibited.
Key concepts
Complete the lesson
A 4-question quiz: 3 correct answers are enough, plus an exercise to practise. It opens in the Academy, on this same lesson.
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