Past Battles Over Copyright Offer Lessons for AI's Uncertain Future
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Napster's free peer-to-peer music sharing seemed inevitable in the 1990s, but was ultimately shut down by lawsuits and the music industry adapting to digital distribution.
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Similar to Napster, AI models like ChatGPT threaten creative industries by replicating copyrighted works without compensation. Lawsuits have already been filed.
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Outdated copyright laws may bend to accommodate new technologies, but history shows industries actually bend to accommodate existing copyright laws.
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Digital futures like those promised by NFTs and crypto can evaporate quickly when speculation bursts. Technologies rarely follow an inevitable trajectory.
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As business models and laws adapt around AI, artists and creators need a seat at the table to avoid getting pennies on the dollar as with streaming services.