The ownership of content in the age of artificial intelligence

tech.hindustantimes.com:

As artificial intelligence (AI) begins to touch our lives in every aspect, who owns the digital content we generate on a daily basis? The answer is complex. Today's consumers find themselves in a world where their personal data is constantly being collected, analyzed, and utilized to boost the services we use. In fact, now it's also being used to create further content? Who truly owns all this digital content?

According to a report by Chiratae Ventures, the consumer tech industry will touch US$300 billion by 2027, and more than 500 million Indians are currently seeking entertainment and gaming services on the internet on a daily basis. According to Forbes, active social media penetration in India is 33.4%, and generally, in January 2023, 67.5% of all internet users in India, whatever their age, used at least one social networking platform.

To get an idea, consider the case of Neha, a modern-day Indian woman who hobnobs with technology in her daily life. An avid social media user, she depends on many AI-driven platforms to curate content that she prefers. From personalized news feeds to algorithmically suggested music playlists, her digital experiences are being moulded by the AI systems that constantly work with her.

First, consider Neha's photos, which Neha shares on social media. These photos are a vital part of the world of AI-driven content ownership. Facebook and Instagram are notorious for their data collection practices. When users like Neha upload photos and interact with content on these platforms, AI algorithms analyze this data and follow their digital behaviour to understand their preferences better.

With the help of all this analysis, big companies then target advertisements and personalize the user experience for the consumer. What happens here is that even though the users are the ones providing the content, the platforms retain ownership of the data generated, leading to concerns about privacy and data exploitation.

“While platforms and algorithms don't