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AI Training and Legal Restrictions

Content for AI training, or machine learning training, may have copyright restrictions. If training an AI model for commercial use, the engineering team must ensure data and assets are copyright cleared. This discussion explores opportunities to use Creative Commons licenced assets as content for AI training.

Find Assets for AI Training
Law Office with Giant AI Ethics and Copyright Hologram Featuring Lady Justice. Content for AI Training via TikBox.io

Why Creative Commons Content Matters for AI Training

Creative Commons content provides freely accessible materials for AI developers, potentially avoiding copyright issues. By using CC licensed content, developers can access high-quality data for machine learning models. However, these licences come with conditions such as attribution, restrictions on commercial use, and limitations on modifications.

While CC licenses address copyright, they don’t cover privacy concerns. If a dataset includes personal data, such as an image of a person’s face, developers must comply with privacy laws, as CC licenses won’t protect against violations. Privacy and copyright are separate issues, and both must be considered when using Creative Commons content.

Steps for Sourcing Creative Common content for AI Training

TikBox also has APIs to streamline bulk licensing for creative assets. Contact us for more information.

Upload Your Creative Assets

Upload your photos, videos, or other assets to TikBox. No extra software is needed. In the admin panel, select "Multiple Assets" and upload your files.

Choose Creative Commons Licence

TikBox provides summaries of each Creative Commons licence so you can choose the best one for you. CC is a great choice if you're interested in sharing your content widely with no remuneration.

Assets Ready for AI Training

After reviewing the licence summary, click "Done." A PDF licence will be generated for your records. Your licensed content, complete with embedded metadata, is now ready for download, sharing, and AI training

Best Practices for Using Creative Commons for AI Training

Diagram showing the six difference Creative Commons Licencing options available on TikBox.io

Using Creative Commons to Source content for AI training:

Choose Permissive Licenses: Opt for licenses like CC BY or CC0. These allow modifications and commercial use, essential for most AI training datasets.
Provide Attribution: Always credit the creator, as required by many CC licenses. Failure to do so can lead to legal issues.
Avoid Non-Commercial Licenses: If your AI model will be used commercially, don’t use content licensed under CC BY-NC, which restricts commercial use.
Ensure Dataset Diversity: Use diverse datasets to meet fairness and transparency requirements, especially in high-risk applications. The EU AI Act emphasises fairness in AI systems.
Maintain Documentation: Keep records of the datasets used in training. Document the sources, licenses, and any modifications made. These records should be available for regulatory review.

CC Content for AI

Creative Commons Licenses and the EU AI Act

The EU AI Act enforces strict rules, especially for high-risk AI systems. Developers must document the datasets used, including Creative Commons content sources and licenses. The Act emphasises transparency, meaning developers need to comply with CC licenses and broader ethical and legal standards. Developers should clearly track the origins and modifications of the datasets they use.

Complaint Data for AI Training
Group Meeting Discussing AI Data and the EU AI Act. Content for AI Training via TikBox.io

Creative Commons Licenses and AI-Generated Content

Creative Commons licenses can apply to content generated by AI. For example, you can apply a CC license to the creative part of an AI-generated image if it involves human input. For AI-generated works without significant human contribution, using CC0 is recommended to place the content in the public domain. However, CC licenses don’t address issues like privacy, consent, or fair compensation. These concerns go beyond copyright law and require broader legal frameworks.

Creative Commons for AI Output

Ethical Considerations Beyond Copyright

CC licenses offer legal protection for copyright, but they don’t cover AI’s broader ethical challenges. Developers must consider privacy, bias, and fairness when training AI models. Ignoring these issues risks undermining both ethical AI development and the growth of the commons that Creative Commons supports.

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Creative Commons and AI Video Tutorial

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FAQ’s

Yes, but they must follow the specific terms of the licence. For example, CC BY requires attribution, while CC BY-NC prohibits commercial use.

Creative Commons licenses address copyright, not privacy. If the content includes personal data, developers must comply with privacy regulations.

CC BY and CC0 are the most suitable licences for AI training, as they permit both modifications and commercial use – essential requirements for many AI projects. However, it’s important to stay informed about ongoing discussions regarding the freedom to train AI using CC licenced works, because you may have to ensure that Share Alike and copyleft obligations are upheld for users of the trained models and AI generated outputs through appropriate contractual agreements.

Yes. The EU AI Act requires transparency and accountability in AI training. Developers must comply with both the Act and CC licence terms.

No. While following CC licenses helps with copyright, developers must also consider privacy laws and other regulations, especially when using datasets with personal data.

TESTIMONIALS

Why users love TikBox

I think the biggest gain here is having an automated end-to-end process, where we know we are using generative AI ethically and content and creatives are labelled in the correct way, without us having to spend time, effort or thought on this process. We deeply appreciate the ease of use and how a very complex process can just run quietly in the background. 

The TikBox platform offer a good alternative to the current route of licensing through a stock image library, especially if you want control of the client transactions. It also allows for direct transactions and licensing with a client without involving a stock library.

David
David Austerberry
Orsi
Orsolya Ann Toth

UK Government Consultation on Copyrights and AI

The consultation seeks to balance creative and AI interests - but you can act now to protect your assets

EU AI ACT - COMPLIANCE DEADLINE 2 AUG 2026

The Act covers documentation, transparency, and copyright compliance for AI-generated content

LICENSING TO COMMERCIALISE ON CREATIVE COPYRIGHTS

TikBox guides for creators to navigate the complexities of copyright and licensing for their digital content

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