Intellectual Property Laws: Are We Ready For Dancing Robots?

Abstract

The recent successes of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in producing creative content that is not only palatable but also commercially valuable has had many commentators and policy-makers around the world question whether this type of creations can, or should, attract intellectual property protection like any other man-made works of art. This research project explores the same issues in relation to the most recent and innovative sector of AI creations: speaking, singing and dancing performances. The latest advancements in AI performance indicate that it will soon be technologically possible and sustainable to rely on AI performers instead of performing artists to produce creative content involving speech or movement. This is anticipated to have a profound impact on the way human labour is distributed within the creative industries. Preliminary research suggests current reform proposals in intellectual property law have not taken into account the fundamental challenges posed by AI-made performances, i.e. dancing and singing computers or robots. For this reason, the proposed reforms risk being obsolete before seeing the light of day.  In her presentation, Dr Mathilde Pavis presents the key issues at stake on this question and the preliminary findings of her research project.  

Presenter biography

Dr Mathilde Pavis is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Exeter. She specialises in intellectual property law (copyright and performers’ rights) and cultural heritage regulation, and has received a number of research grants for her work on the UK creative industries. Mathilde Pavis is a Guest Lecturer at King’s College London in comparative intellectual property since 2016 and was a visiting scholar at the University of Victoria in 2018 (British Columbia, Canada). Prior to joining the University of Exeter, Mathilde Pavis was a research fellow at John W. Kluge Centre at the Library of Congress (US, Washington DC). Mathilde is the co-founder and director of the New IP Lawyers Network, a network gathering early-career research and practitioners in intellectual property, and a regular contributor to the IPKat Blog, the world’s No 1 work in intellectual property law.