Generative AI And The Media Sector: Preliminary Thoughts On A Legal And Policy Agenda

By: Konstantina Bania (The Platform Law Blog)

The term “Generative AI” (or “GenAI”) has undeniably captured widespread attention this year. However, amidst the enthusiasm surrounding the emergence of new tools, the Italian data protection authority made headlines in March by temporarily blocking ChatGPT. In May, the US Senate conducted a hearing on AI oversight, extensively discussing the need for regulation. Meanwhile, the EU institutions are on the brink of commencing trilogue negotiations, which will ultimately lead to the adoption of the AI Act (the European Parliament is currently voting on its report during its plenary session today).

GenAI holds the potential to create opportunities across various sectors of the economy, facilitating faster and potentially more accurate decision-making. In the media sector specifically, GenAI can be employed to enhance content production and management. For instance, journalists can rely on GenAI tools to swiftly analyze information and summarize editorial content. In fact, a recent survey conducted by the World Association of News Publishers revealed that half of newsrooms are currently utilizing GenAI tools. Moreover, GenAI can empower media companies to personalize audience experiences by providing effective search and recommendation services on their platforms. These use cases demonstrate how GenAI can assist media organizations in reducing production costs and improving their monetization capabilities. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that GenAI also presents significant challenges, some of which have already been witnessed. These challenges include potential infringements of copyright-protected works and the proliferation of illegal, harmful, and manipulative content, such as disinformation and deepfakes…

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