Corporations that engage in unauthorized use of content created by independent artists and producers have significantly harmed the industry. Due to the rampant theft, much of the internet's valuable content remains off-limits for models to train on. This shortage only furthers the divide for new models to reach any sort of real potential.
Services are starting which obfuscate these connections this only exacerbates the issue by hiding originating sources, permissions on the data are not being honored. By enabling extensive access without clear safeguards against unauthorized usage, these services support practices that violate creators' rights. This further damages both the creative industry and AI development, as it undermines trust and restricts the ability to build models on legally obtained data.
Providing accreditation, equity, and choice to creators regarding the use of their content is essential to fostering a fair and responsible digital ecosystem. Creators should have the power to determine which models can access and utilize their work, allowing them to align with their values and intentions. For instance, an artist might be uncomfortable with their content being used to train military or law enforcement AI systems but would be open to its use in educational applications. This level of control ensures that creators' rights are respected and empowers them to contribute positively to fields they believe in, while also preventing misuse of their intellectual property. By offering such autonomy, we can build a more sustainable relationship between content creation and artificial intelligence development.