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AB 412

Generative artificial intelligence: training data: copyrighted materials.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and 1 co-sponsor

California bill requiring generative AI companies to obtain authorization or pay creators when training models on copyrighted materials, shifting costs to AI developers.

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (June 8).
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Bill Summary · AB 412

Legislative bill overview

AB 412 requires generative AI developers to obtain authorization or provide compensation when training AI models on copyrighted materials. The bill establishes legal liability for AI companies that use protected works without permission, creating a licensing or royalty framework similar to existing copyright protections in other industries.

Why is this important

This addresses a fundamental tension in AI development: most large language models are trained on massive datasets that include copyrighted books, articles, and creative works without explicit permission or payment to creators. The bill could reshape AI economics by requiring companies to either license training data or compensate copyright holders, affecting everything from AI model costs to author protections.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation complexity: Determining which training data originates from copyrighted works and tracking ownership across billions of documents could prove administratively burdensome and technically difficult
  • Innovation and competitiveness concerns: Licensing requirements and compensation obligations may increase development costs, potentially disadvantaging smaller AI companies and affecting California's tech industry competitiveness globally
  • Fair use interpretation: The bill may conflict with existing fair use doctrine that permits certain transformative uses of copyrighted material, creating legal uncertainty about what constitutes fair use versus infringement in AI contexts

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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