WED AM News: Copyright law complicated by AI technology; FBI … – Wisbusiness.com

— A representative of the U.S. Copyright Office says copyright law is being complicated by artificial intelligence as the technology matures. 

George Thuronyi is deputy director of the Office of Public Information and Education within the federal office, which is part of the Library of Congress. He spoke yesterday as part of the STOPfakes Roadshow, held in Milwaukee by a variety of partners including the Wisconsin District Export Council.

“Is there human authorship involved in artificial intelligence? So, this is a very fast-moving question that’s going on, and a lot of people are studying — not only the Copyright Office, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and many others,” Thuronyi said. 

Just in the past few weeks, the office issued guidance reiterating previous determinations that “human authorship” is needed for a copyright, he said. That guidance came after an author late last year wrote a comic book that included art created by AI and submitted it to the office. 

While the copyright registration was initially accepted, the artist later bragged on social media that she had “duped” the Copyright Office into registering the art, Thuronyi explained. He noted she failed to notify the office that the art was created by AI, despite having the option of registering the text she wrote while excluding the artwork. 

The office canceled her copyright registration, but the case raised difficult questions about how much of a role humans play in AI art production, he said. For example, people often write the prompts themselves that machine learning systems use in this process. 

To better understand this evolving landscape, the office is holding a series of listening sessions to gather insights and public comments on the role of AI in literary works, visual artwork, music and other forms of expression. 

Thuronyi pointed to “gray areas” that pose a challenge to the question of human authorship. 

For example, an artist could create artwork and register it, before running it through an AI program to alter it. In that case, he said the artist might own the rights to the original work but not necessarily to the altered form. But then the degree of difference comes into play, he added. 

“I think that’s the part that we’re still trying to figure out,” he said. “We don’t have clear answers on that yet because it’s moving really, really fast.” 

— Also during yesterday’s event, an FBI agent urged businesses in attendance to bolster their online security to avoid trade secrets being stolen. 

Eric Proudfoot, a supervisory special agent with the bureau’s Economic Crimes Unit, said most recent cases of trade secret theft involved computer code. 

And many subjects of such investigations turn out to be a disgruntled engineer, researcher or executive that took the “keys to the kingdom” with them when leaving the organization, he explained. 

“Why I think that’s important to note here is that shows the trend for the insider threat to cause the most potential damage to you as a company,” he said. 

Trade secrets are largely defined by having independent economic value and being protected by “reasonable measures” to restrict access, Proudfoot noted. While those measures can include physical security and barriers in some cases, he underlined the importance of network security and greater oversight of information technology. 

“A lot of times, new or startup businesses might skimp on the budget for your IT security … Rethink that,” he said. “And really beef up this, harden your IT security, because this is where we see the vulnerabilities across a lot of our cases.” 

He suggested defining user agreements and rules of behaviors for employees using a business network, segmenting data so users can only access information they need to do their jobs, and maintaining a “robust” system for tracking data access. 

“So that if something does happen, you’re able to pinpoint which user accessed the file group, what events took place,” he said. “Did they print something? Did they insert a thumb drive? Was information copied?” 

— The Assembly has passed along party lines two bills to prohibit bans on gas-powered vehicles or devices. 

AB 141, which would prevent state agencies and local governments from restricting the use of devices based on their energy source, such as leaf blowers or lawnmowers, passed 62-35. AB 142, which would do the same for motor vehicles, passed 63-35. Seven states have banned the sale of gas-powered vehicles starting in 2035.

Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay, voted in favor of the motor vehicle-related bill, but did not vote on the earlier bill. He told WisPolitics.com he was absent from the Assembly on the first vote because he was testifying on a bill in the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. 

The bills now head to the Senate for consideration. 

Rep. Christine Sinicki, D-Milwaukee, said the bills are a “complete waste of time” and a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, noting the state hasn’t sought to restrict the use of gas-powered vehicles or devices. 

Sinicki said if the bill is about choice, “we could have a discussion about real choice.” 

“I cannot help but think the GOP mantra used to be, ‘Oh my goodness, the Democrats want to take our guns away,’” she said. “Now it’s ‘Oh my goodness, the Democrats want to take our gasoline away.’ That’s not true.” 

Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers, said lawmakers should “let the free market work.” 

“To say that we’re going to say, ‘Oh, we’re not, we are not going to pass this because nobody has attempted to do it yet,’ well, there’s a whole lot of things that haven’t been attempted yet, and we have laws and constitutions to protect the rights of the people to live their lives without interference of future governments,” Sortwell said.

— UW-Milwaukee plans to use $590,000 in state grant funding for internship programs focused on green energy and clean water, as well as humanities and social sciences. 

The university yesterday announced $382,000 of that funding — which comes from the Department of Workforce Development’s Wisconsin Fast Forward Program — will support up to 50 student interns being placed with companies working in green energy and clean water industries. 

According to the release, the first cohort of 20 interns starts in May with A.O. Smith, Arch Solar, Baker Manufacturing, Clarios, Foxconn, GESTRA, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Milwaukee Tool. 

Meanwhile, the other $210,000 or so will fund placements for 20 students in social sciences, humanities and other majors that typically only have unpaid internships, the release shows. 

Laurie Marks, executive director of the UWM Center for Student Experience and Talent, is managing both grants for the university. 

“This new funding provides us with more opportunity to get UWM students the on-the-job experience they need to start their careers, and it allows them to begin building a professional network,” Marks said in the release. “Support for these programs also ensures that employers have a diverse and skilled workforce pipeline they can rely on.”

See more details: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee-earns-fast-forward-grant-to-offer-more-paid-internship-opportunities/ 

<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report …</b></i> 

— The Joint Finance Committee co-chairs have notified the Department of Health Services that a member had anonymously objected to the agency’s proposal to spend the latest batch of money the state is receiving from an opioid settlement. 

<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i> 

Sign up here: http://forms.gle/o8FtqTLviGJPja8C9

#TOP STORIES#

# Wisconsin businesses want more workers, but barriers prevent many from joining the labor force

# Wisconsin Assembly votes to outlaw local bans on gas engines

# There are still a handful of locally, family-owned paper mills in Wisconsin. Here’s why.

#TOPICS#

# AGRIBUSINESS 

– 70 meat processors apply for DATCP grant program

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=429&yr=2023 

# CONSTRUCTION 

– Strand announces resignation from WAPA, Schwerman steps in as executive director