Are There Copyright Issues with AI-Generated Images?
I recently used Midjourney to create a thumbnail image for my blog, but now I'm suddenly worried about copyright. I've heard that AI-generated images have no copyright, but also that imitating a specific style could cause problems. For those of you who actually use them commercially, how do you handle this?
6 answers
According to Midjourney's terms of service, paid users are granted commercial usage rights. However, whether the generated images themselves are recognized as copyrighted works varies by country, and in South Korea, there are no clear precedents yet. For reference, the U.S. Copyright Office has rejected copyright registration for AI-generated images in some cases, so if you're using them for important commercial purposes, I recommend making slight modifications or adding your own elements.
I run a commercial blog and once consulted a lawyer about AI images. The conclusion was that 'it's not completely safe.' Due to the nature of AI trained on others' copyrighted works, similar images can occasionally emerge by chance. To reduce risk, they recommended mixing AI images with personally taken photos or purchased stock images.
I struggled with that same concern a lot at first, lol. In the end, I think it comes down to 'whether it's worth the risk.' For blog thumbnails, it's usually not a big issue, but just to be safe, I switched to either adding my own drawings on top of AI-generated images or finding similar ones from free stock image sites. Peace of mind is the best, after all.
I had a similar concern, but in the end, instead of using AI images as-is, I lightly edit them in Photoshop. I heard that adding text or applying filters makes you safer from copyright disputes. Also, images that mimic a specific artist's style are more likely to cause issues, so I think it's best to avoid including famous painter names in prompts.
Are you specifying on your blog that the images are AI-generated? Overseas, there's a growing trend of recommending labeling for transparency. Rather than just copyright issues, you should also consider the possibility of violating user deception or advertising regulations, so I include a note saying 'This image was created by AI.' I tend to focus more on ethical concerns than legal risks.
I understand that with Midjourney, commercial use is permitted under the terms if you're on a paid plan. But the real issue seems to be more about 'plagiarism disputes' than 'copyright infringement.' For example, if a famous character or logo accidentally gets generated, that could be problematic, so make sure to visually check the output before using it. I personally use it lightly for thumbnails and haven't run into any issues yet.