What are the legal ramifications of utilizing text generated by tools like ChatGPT?

From my previous articles, you may have noticed my growing fascination with AI, particularly text-generative AI. After sharing one of my recent pieces, a colleague posed an intriguing question: What are the legal ramifications of utilizing text generated by tools like ChatGPT? Let's take a moment to delve into this profound inquiry. I'll first aim to answer it from the perspective of a content creator who uses AI to enhance their work.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon an old song that I had penned many moons ago. The lyrics, as they stand, read as follows:

"I've been waiting for my sunshine.

(A very long time)

Still I can't find this girl of mine

(To wipe these tears from my eyes)

On my face, to place a smile

(I've been crying for all my life)"

As you can see, the song, if I may call it that, is rather incomplete. Yet, these existing lines capture a certain mood (perhaps a reflection of a past breakup). Feeling inspired, I turned to my newfound companion, ChatGPT, to seek assistance in completing the song.

The New Song Generated by ChatGPT:

I've yearned for sunlight in my days

(A timeless pursuit, it seems)

Searching for the one who'll blaze

(A path to heal my dreams)

A smile to grace this weary face

(A lifetime filled with tears it seems)

?

Chorus:

Oh, I've been waiting patiently

For love's sweet rays to shine on me

To find the one who'll set me free

From this endless sea of melancholy

?

Verse 2:

Through seasons passed, I've held my ground

(Awaiting fate's grand design)

But love's embrace remains unfound

(A puzzle left unaligned)

Still, hope ignites a spark profound

(A glimmer within my mind)

?

Chorus:

Oh, I've been waiting patiently

For love's sweet rays to shine on me

To find the one who'll set me free

From this endless sea of melancholy

?

Bridge:

I'll keep searching, never let go

Through life's winding path, I'll grow

For destiny will soon bestow

The one who'll melt away my woe

?

Chorus:

Oh, I've been waiting patiently

For love's sweet rays to shine on me

To find the one who'll set me free

From this endless sea of melancholy

?

Outro:

With every sunrise, I'll hold tight

Believing love will end this plight

My sunshine's coming into sight

Together, we'll illuminate the night

Quite remarkable, wouldn't you agree? You can imagine my astonishment, which led me to contemplate, 'Hey, let's produce this song.' With that in mind, I activated production mode:

As it turns out, ChatGPT has limitations. While it gave detailed guidance on how to create a melody, it was unable to develop a tune for the new song. Nonetheless, the overall encounter elicited a wide range of feelings and thoughts.

On the one hand, the availability of text generative AI such as ChatGPT holds tremendous promise for the creative industry. It has the potential to both inspire and support artists in their creative undertakings. On the other hand, there are concerns that such technology may undermine the importance of human creativity and negatively impact the creative industry as a whole. These opposing viewpoints are obviously worth investigating further.

Returning to the legal implications of using text generated by tools like ChatGPT, armed with my brand-new lyrics for my first potential hit song, I am now faced with the question of assigning credits. Who should receive credit for this newly written song? Should ChatGPT be credited in any way?

To find answers, I turned to ChatGPT once again, seeking guidance on this matter.

Lastly, I took its recommendation to have open communication.

ChatGPT’s response:

“While ChatGPT (the AI model behind my responses) can provide assistance and suggestions, it is not a human being and does not possess legal or creative rights. Therefore, it is not necessary to credit ChatGPT specifically as a songwriter or contributor. Instead, you may credit the AI platform or technology used, such as OpenAI's GPT-3.5 language model, for providing the assistance in the creative process. However, it is important to note that the final decision regarding credits should be based on the specific agreements and guidelines set by the relevant parties involved in the song's creation.”

Based on the response from ChatGPT, it is evident that attributing specific credit to ChatGPT itself is not necessary. However, it is advisable to acknowledge the AI platform that aided in the process. It is important to note that the use of AI-generated text carries significant legal implications and should be approached with caution. Given that this technology is still relatively new, there is no definitive answer regarding its appropriate applications and limitations. Ongoing discussions are essential to establish ethical and legal frameworks that address the evolving landscape of AI-generated content. These discussions aim to pave the way for the development of policies that will govern the responsible use of AI-generated text in the future.