010: who owns the art : copyright challenges in the age of generative ai (ks5)
A KS5 level investigation into the complex legal and ethical landscape of Generative AI and intellectual property rights.
The IP Audit: AI vs The Artist
The Scenario
You have been appointed as a Technical Policy Advisor for a government think-tank. A major lawsuit has been filed by a collective of digital artists against a leading AI company. The artists claim their work was used to train the AI without permission. The AI company claims 'Fair Use'. You must write a balanced Legal Briefing Paper advising the government on whether new legislation is required.
The Persona: The Responsible Innovator
You move beyond isolated technical knowledge to embed ethical, legal, and societal questions directly into your work. You don't just ask "Can we build this?", but "Is it legal, and is it right?"
You have been appointed as a Technical Policy Advisor for a government think-tank. A major lawsuit has been filed by a collective of digital artists against a leading AI company. The artists claim their work was used to train the AI without permission. The AI company claims 'Fair Use'. You must write a balanced Legal Briefing Paper advising the government on whether new legislation is required.
You move beyond isolated technical knowledge to embed ethical, legal, and societal questions directly into your work. You don't just ask "Can we build this?", but "Is it legal, and is it right?"
1
Deconstruct the Technology
To advise on the law, you must first explain the technology. Use the search terms below to investigate how Generative AI models (like Diffusion models or LLMs) utilise training data.
Task: Write the first section of your paper: "Technical Context". Explain clearly that these models do not 'collage' existing images but learn mathematical patterns (latent space) from them. Accuracy is vital here.
2
Analyse the Legal Precedent
Investigate current high-profile legal battles.
Task: Create the second section: "Case Studies". Summarise the core arguments. Why do the plaintiffs claim copyright infringement? What is the defence's argument regarding 'Transformative Use'?
3
Formulate Your Policy Advice
Synthesise your findings into a final recommendation.
Task: Write the final section: "Recommendations". Should AI companies be forced to pay for training data? Should AI-generated art be eligible for copyright protection? Justify your answer using the evidence you gathered.
Outcome
A professional Legal Briefing Paper (approx. 2 pages).
Contains accurate technical explanation of how ML models process training data.
References specific, real-world legal cases (e.g. Getty vs Stability AI).
Uses key terminology: Intellectual PropertyI have no idea what this means, Training DataI have no idea what this means, Latent SpaceI have no idea what this means, Transformative UseI have no idea what this means.
Last modified: January 9th, 2026
