The world of artificial intelligence continues to make major strides. Machines like StarryAI, DALL.E 2, and ChatGPT can learn quickly, create fascinating works of art, and even answer questions, just like a person.
However, there is a question regarding whether these machine-generated works should be protected under copyright laws.
The Copyright Act of 2005 (Act 690) in Ghana only protects literary and artistic works that are original and created by a citizen or resident of the country. The definition of an author in this act specifically refers to a person who creates a work.
It is therefore clear, that artificial intelligence systems, which are made up of algorithms designed to mimic human intelligence, cannot be considered as individuals under the law. Neither can the computers that facilitate their operations be considered as individuals. Therefore, works produced by artificial intelligence are not eligible for copyright protection under Act 690.
By: James McKeown Debrah
