In a world where AI-generated art is becoming increasingly prevalent, a recent study has revealed a troubling truth: existing tools designed to protect artists’ work from unauthorized use are not as effective as hoped. Researchers have shown that popular protection tools like Glaze and NightShade can be easily bypassed, leaving creators vulnerable to having their copyrighted material used without consent in AI training datasets. The study, led by a team of international researchers, introduced LightShed, a new method that can detect and reverse-engineer the distortions applied by these protective tools.

The recent workshop on “Generative AI and Copyright” held by the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) has brought to light a pressing issue: the urgent need for accountability from AI companies that profit from the unauthorized use of creative works. As highlighted by Nina George, the Commissioner for Political Affairs at the European Writers’ Council (EWC), the exploitation of authors’ labor and intellectual property by non-European AI firms raises significant ethical and legal concerns.