The U.S. Copyright Office (USCO) has released a comprehensive 50-page report clarifying its stance on AI-generated works and copyright protection. Here are the key findings:

Core Position on AI Works:

• Works created entirely by AI cannot be copyrighted
• Over 10,000 commenters largely agreed with this position
• No changes to existing copyright law are recommended at this time

Mixed Human-AI Works:

• Must be evaluated case-by-case
• Copyright protection applies only to "perceptible human expressions"
• AI assistance in the creative process doesn't affect copyrightability
• Human-created works modified by AI receive protection limited to the original human elements

Prompts and Copyright:

• Current AI prompts alone don't qualify for copyright protection
• Users don't have sufficient creative control over AI outputs through prompts
• Future AI systems might enable enough user control to warrant protection, but this isn't currently possible

Important Considerations:

• The Office will continue case-by-case analysis
• No immediate need for new legislation
• Protection scope similar to derivative works
• Human creative expression remains protected

This report is part of a larger AI inquiry, with a third report on AI training and licensing forthcoming. The findings maintain existing copyright principles while acknowledging the evolving nature of AI technology in creative processes.

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