California’s AB 412 Still Demands Developers Do The Impossible
California's AB 412 would require AI developers to identify and disclose copyrighted works used in training generative AI models. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has again opposed the bill, arguing the data it demands often does not exist and cannot realistically be compiled.
Why this matters: The goal here is legitimate. People whose work was scraped to train AI models deserve to know that happened. But a law that demands records no one kept, and that cannot be reconstructed, does not actually protect creators. It just punishes developers who try to comply and rewards those who do not. There is also a real risk that rules like this entrench the biggest players, who can absorb the compliance cost, while blocking smaller competitors. Good copyright policy for AI is possible. This bill is not it yet.
Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy · Privacy officers
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